


Yes, Professor

by And Then The Sky (DemonLordMammon)



Category: Yu-Gi-Oh! ARC-V
Genre: Academia Yuya, Alternate Universe - Role Reversal, F/M, OCs don't come in until chapter 4, Original Character(s), Standard Yuri, Switched Protags, Turns out the vast majorty of the OCs are dicks
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-04-09
Updated: 2018-04-09
Packaged: 2019-04-20 18:14:53
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 11
Words: 60,950
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14266773
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/DemonLordMammon/pseuds/And%20Then%20The%20Sky
Summary: What if Yuri and Yuya were swapped at age seven. See how Yuya takes Yuri's place at Duel academy and Yuri takes Yuya's as the founder of pendulum. (This story is being posted from my Fanfiction.net account)





	1. Switched and Ruri's Kidnapping

A boy of 14 years was traversing the empty corridors of his school, he couldn’t believe how far he had come since he first arrived here seven years ago, it took him a long time but he had finally cast away that stupid philosophy of entertainment and smiles for everyone…No only the strong could smile as they crushed their opponents, his face twisted into a psychotic smirk as he thought back to when he first arrived here…How feeble he was and how that man saved him.

**(Seven years ago)**

“Huh,” a small seven year old boy with green and crimson hair wearing orange goggles with a blue star obscuring one lens on his head, an orange t-shirt with green cargo pants and red trainers looked confused to his surrounding area, “where am I?” He asked into the empty hallway in front of him, he was scared he didn’t know where he was or where his parents were. Things were just getting stranger for him first his favourite card Odd-eyes Dragon had started to glow and then before he knew it he was transported to here with no sign of his parents. He felt hopelessly trapped lowering his goggles and burying his head in his hands until a man wearing a militaristic purple uniform approached him, the man lifted up the boy’s head from his hands and removed his googles, water gushed out, the man stared at the young boy’s face _It’s no coincidence that he shares his face…This is his second part_ he thought quietly into himself, continuing to carefully study the boy’s face _._ The boy was now able to get a closer look at the man in front of him, he wore a purple coloured militaristic outfit with several black buttons, a purple cape with a black ending, and a pair of grey boots. He also has a black belt with a red line which both end in a button on the front, and what appeared to be red circular strings across his chest with a pair of black gloves on his hands.

“What is your name boy?” The man stared directly at the boy who in turn began to answer albeit with a twinge of fear in his voice “Y-Y-Yuya Sakaki-i-i Mr.…”

_Sakaki…It couldn’t be…Could it?_ The man was thinking tentatively about what to say next when Yuya’s next question snapped him back to reality, “Do you know where I’m and where my parents are?” The man took his time formulating his response eventually settling on the following “For where you are Yuya, you are at Academia, for where your parents are I don’t know.” The last part of this sentence caused Yuya to start bawling it was clear to man that Yuya really missed his home and parents, only action he could take was to comfort Yuya “My name is Leo Akaba but you can refer to me as the Professor.” Leo placed a hand on Yuya’s shoulder causing Yuya to look up to him with curiosity on his face, “Now then Yuya… A solider doesn’t cry!” Yuya was shocked but this outburst caused him to hold back the tirade of tears that wanted to downpour onto the ground before him. “Yuya come with me.” Leo gestured Yuya to follow him down the corridor, a shy Yuya responded “Y-Y-yes Professor.”   

**(Current time)**

Yuya was snapped out of his flashback by a ringing on his duel disk which had changed from his days back home, his old disk was taken by the professor and was replaced by a special one issued by the professor himself, it was the standard Academia shield but this one was gold tinted with a red rim, when activated the a sword like blade with a red glow would appear. The caller ID brightened Yuya’s dull day, it seemed as if the Professor had a special job for him. A massive grin was spread across his face as he made his way to his destiny.

**(Leo’s Throne Room)**

“Ah Yuya you’ve arrived.” The professor was sitting quietly in his throne going through his plans, legs crossed hand on forehead as he saw Yuya approach. “I take it that you got my message.”

“I most certainly did Professor,” Yuya had grown more smug and arrogant during the time he had spent at Academia “For what is this special mission?”

The Professor looked over his favourite solider whose appearance had changed since they first met seven years ago, Yuya had taken to wearing a similarly styled uniform to the Professor it bore resemblance to a military officer's uniform of sorts it consisted of a red waistcoat, a two-part cape of red, a red abbreviated coat with thick cuffs and gold shoulder bands with an amber-coloured setting, fastened at the collar bone, and black trousers [1] tucked into silver-tinted boots but he still retained the googles he had first worn upon his arrival.

The Professor stood up from his throne and walked slowly over to Yuya placing a hand on Yuya’s shoulder the Professor began to give details “You are being sent to the XYZ dimension to recover a very important target to me.” Yuya let out a sadistic grin as he heard the XYZ dimension mentioned…He enjoyed watching those XYZ scum squirm as he carded them, it was feelings like those which he now lived for. The Professor continued “I’ve already sent someone to scout the target just talk him to get the current location…You know what to do next.” Yuya’s grin widened, “I most certainly do Professor…” 

 Wearing a hooded cloak Yuya walked out of the room, he took a card out from his deck, “Malevolent flash…” and with that Yuya was on his way to the XYZ dimension.

**(XYZ Dimension)**

A boy with curly bright red hair and oddly designed clothes was standing silently on top of a roof in a completely annihilated city watching the few remaining citizens collect water. “My patience only lasts so long,” the red haired teen sighed “where is he…” he was tapping his foot showing clearly his irritation. At this point a blinding red flash appeared next to the boy causing him to scream comically and fall backwards. “AHH!” the person emerging from the flash deadpanned while looking directly at the red head who got up from the ground.

“Never do that again Yuya.” He dusted himself off.

 “Oh don’t worry about that Dennis I won’t be around here for long just show me my target and let me do the rest.”

Dennis was intimidated by Yuya even under the cloak he was wearing which somewhat covered face he could feel the piercing glare of his crimson eyes.

“She’s over there” Dennis waved towards a girl who had pink eyes, long dark purple hair which extended past her lower back even with it tied up in a bow-shaped style and has shorter, lilac side tails. She secured her hair with a wing-shaped barrette and wore a bracelet with a purple gem in the middle on her right arm. She seemed to know Dennis and happily waved back before continuing her journey to collect water for her comrades.

“Excellent.” Yuya licked his lips, jumped down from the roof and with sadistic grin and all chased the girl into the ruins of this city, the girl was caught off guard from this hooded teen quickly approaching and ran away leaving behind the water she was collecting.

The chase continued deep into the ruins of the destroyed city until Yuya finally managed to corner the girl against the ruins of a house.

“Looks like you’re out of room.” Yuya’s face became briefly visible to the girl as he grinned manically. The girl was taken back by the face staring back at her “Yuto?!” she asked shocked that Yuto would do something like this, she thought quickly about what to say next towards her ‘childhood friend’ and was about to speak when Yuya cut her off.

“I know nothing of this ‘Yuto’ person but what I do know is that you’re coming back with me to Academia!” Yuya’s smirk only got wider as he saw the girl strap her duel disk to her arm and ready it. “So you want to do things the hard way,” Yuya readied his duel disk in conjunction with his statement “that’s great! Because I do enjoy the hard way oh so much!”

**_[Let’s Duel]_ **

Yuya: 4000 LP   Unknown: 4000 LP      Cards x5

“I’ll go first,” the girl declared Yuya simply stared her down and his grin caused a chill to go down her spine, “Since I don’t control a monster I can special summon Lyrical luscinia – Turquoise Warbler,” _Level 1 (100/100)_ , a small bird anthro with turquoise and blue feathers appeared before the girl “It’s effect activates allowing me to summon another Lyrical luscinia monster from my hand, I chose Lyrical luscinia – Cobalt Sparrow,” another small bird anthro this time brown and white feathers appeared, “Sparrow’s effect activates allowing me to add a level 1 winged-beast monster to my hand I chose Lyrical luscinia – Sapphire Swallow… Swallow’s effect activates from my hand since I control a winged beast I can summon this card and one more monster in my hand! I summon two Sapphire swallows!” The two small birds with blue feathers joined the other two birds on the field. “I now overlay my four Lyrical luscinias to build the overlay network!”

Yuya’s face twisted into a psychotic expression, his smirk broadened “I see you’re going to XYZ summon…Come on then, show me why the Professor wants you!” a crazed laugh shook the girl to her very core.

“I XYZ summon! Rank 1! Lyrical luscinia – Assembled Nightingale!” _Rank 1 (0/0 OLU: 4)_.

“Is that it?” A look of disappointment was evident on Yuya’s face, “that’s the best you can do? A monster with zero attack?” He let out a sigh “Still though if the Professor wants you who am I to object!”

The girl although visibly shaken and scared explained Nightingale’s effect “This card gains attack equal to the number of overlay units it has x200!” _Nightingale’s attack (0_ – 800) “With that I set one card face down and end my turn.” The girl’s confidence was returning with Nightingale on the field she felt there was enough time for her brother and Yuto to find her and save her from this maniac. Cards x1

“It’s my turn, I draw!” Yuya’s grin grew as he saw the card he drew “To start I’ll set three cards face down, now I activate Polymerization fusing together Performapal fugolem and Odd Eyes Dragon in my hand! Dragon with dichromatic eyes! Become one with the giant born from soil and revive as a new race!” Yuya furiously clapped his hands together. “Fusion Summon! Level 8! Performapal Gatling Ghoul!” _Level 8 (2900/900)_ The demented ghoul wearing a top hat and tuxedo wielding a massive Gatling gun appeared with Yuya grinning from ear to ear. “Ghoul’s effect now activates, when it is fusion summoned damage is dealt to the opponent equal to the number of cards on the field x200!”

The girl took a step back against the wall of the house counting the amount of cards on the field as Ghoul’s gun revved up. “There are six cards on the field that means 1200 points of damage!” Yuya’s chilling voice was quickly broken by the sound of Ghoul’s gun firing and assaulting the unknown girl viciously.

Unknown (4000 – 2800)

The girl held her shoulder in pain shouting “SHUN…YUTO WHERE ARE YOU!”

Nearby a young girl with blue eyes with short light-purple and lilac hair wearing a pair glasses quickly ran to the base of resistance in the XYZ dimension where the two boys’ in question would be

At the resistances’ base sitting at a table were two boys one with black spiky hair, purple bangs and steel grey eyes was talking to another boy who had blueish-black hair, light green bangs and golden eyes. They were talking about how to survive the latest round of Academia attacks.

“We should go and fight them straight out!” The blue haired teen slammed his fist down on the table causing the Purple haired one to leap in surprise.

“Shun…Calm down you don’t win wars by going headlong into battle thoughtlessly.” Steel gray eyes meet golden ones in a battle of sprits [2].

Shun finally cracked under the pressure and relented “Fine…You win Yuto…Will go with your plan….”

“As I th-” Yuto was interrupted by a flurry of action as a girl came bursting into the room.

“YUTO! SHUN!” She panted, exhausted from her long journey. Yuto quickly ran to the young girl’s aid, “Sayaka calm down.”  Yuto placed his hand on her shoulder asking “Why are you here? What’s happening?” Sayaka calm down but was still panting as she etched out the following sentence much to the shock of Yuto and Shun. “It’s Ruri…She has been cornered by an Academia Student!”

“What!” Shun shouted as he knew his sister was in trouble, seething with rage it was likely he would’ve punched something had Yuto not been there to subdue him.

“Shun…It’s probably nothing you know the average skill of Academia student, she’ll be fine”

Sayaka was shook her head causing Yuto and Shun to look at her with disbelief. “I don’t think it’s an average one…He’s not using the standard deck and disk looks different.”

Shun looked at Yuto both sets of eyes narrowed “Where is she Sayaka!” Both of them collectively said. “Follow me!” She responded leading Yuto and Shun quickly out of the base to Ruri’s location.

Back at the duel Ruri was still holding her shoulder still screaming for her boyfriend and brother to save her. Meanwhile Yuya’s eyes slitted laughing manically as he said towards his target “How does it feel to be hopelessly trapped with nowhere left to go!” Yuya removed the hood of the cloak of his head, “You say I share the same face as someone you know and love…Well let that be the last face you see before I drag you into the abyss! I activate the spell Performapal Hurricane!” One of the cards Yuya had set face down to maximize the effect of Gatling Ghoul now flipped as said hurricane appeared as every piece of rubble around the two was picked up as Yuya explained the effect of the card, Yuto, Shun and Sayaka were alarmed as they saw and felt the hurricane “She’s over there quickly!”

“This spell card returns cards on the field to the hand equal to the number of performapals on the field, sadly I only control one but it is no matter as I return your Nightingale back to your extra deck!” The hurricane unleashed its full fury on Nightingale forcing it back into card form and returning it to the extra deck.

“Ladies and gentlemen!” Yuya’s sadistic grin and slitted pupils turned this innocent, fun loving statement into one of unspeakable malice. “I activate another face down spell Performapal Award Winning Act! With this card all performapals on my field are unaffected by Spell or trap effects!” Ruri was in disbelief at her utter failure as she accepted her fate about to give in but just as she was about to surrender she heard her brother’s voice shouting her name.

“Tch…” Yuya clicked his tongue in irritation “Some people just won’t let me have my fun now will they?” Yuya pulled his hood back up not wanting to spoil his appearance to anyone except his target. Yuto, Shun and Sayaka could now see Ruri and the person she was dueling. Yuto and Shun looked at each other their worst fears had been confirmed, Ruri was dueling was the Professor’s personal enforcer. “Oh it’s so good that more people came to watch me.” Yuya turned to face the three intruders “My father would be proud!” Yuya’s face was menacing causing the hairs on the back of their necks to stand up. “You’re just in time for the grand finale! Gatling Ghoul direct attack!”

“RURI!” Yuto and Shun’s collective shouts were soon drowned out by volleys of fire from Gatling Ghoul which were fired with such ferocity it flung Ruri back against the wall of the house knocking her out.

Ruri (2800 – 0)

A win icon briefly flashed on Yuya’s duel disk as he made his way to the Unconscious Ruri. “It’s been a great show folks!” Yuya draped Ruri over his shoulder “But now it’s time for me to leave! Malevolent Flash!” Under the watching eyes of Yuto, Shun and Sayaka Yuya disappeared leaving behind no trace of him or Ruri ever being in the XYZ dimension.  Yuto stood in shock muttering “…His face.” Sayaka was trembling in fear while Shun punched the ground furiously screaming Ruri’s name.

**(Academia)**

A red flash appeared in corridors of Academia, Yuya appeared with Ruri still over his shoulder.

_She looks oddly familiar like I have seen that face somewhere before…_ The cogs slowly turned in Yuya’s mind as he began to think back more to before he arrived here at academia.

**(Flashback)**

“Come on Yuya!” A young girl with dark pink mid-length hair, tied up in pigtails, clipped down by blue spherical hair clips. Which also had two lighter pink bangs that fell to either side of her face was running as she called to her childhood friend. “Slow down!” Yuya was breathing heavily from running for so long trying to catch up to his friend. “You just need to run faster Yuya!” The girl sprinted onwards towards a place called _‘You Show Duel School’_.

Back in the real world the sight of the duel school triggered another memory to resurface, one of him dueling the girl whose face he was still unable to see.

“Mozarta attack Yuya directly!” The girl declared as a beam of musical notes appeared from the conductor’s baton the monster and struck Yuya directly knocking him to the ground as the field dissipated around him.    

  Yuya (300 – 0)

“Ah come on if only I had one more turn I would’ve won!”  Yuya pouted as he folded his arms, the girl walked over to him with a smile on her face as she held her hand out to him, “Come on Yuya! At least it was fun!” Yuya debated the meaning of this in his before finally deciding on taking the girl’s hand, smiling brightly as he got up. “It sure was let’s do it again right now!” the girl simply laughed as she returned to her previous spot as the field generated a setting to suit their duel.

“Duelists locked in battle!” Yuya began the chant

“Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!” The girl continued  

“They storm through this field! Behold!” Yuya smiled as they chanted together.

“This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! ACTION…DUEL!” Their duel disks were readied and the duel began.

**(Flashback ends)**

For the second time today Yuya’s reminiscing was cut short, this time it wasn’t the Professor but the girl he had just kidnapped as she was starting to stir back into consciousness. “Where am I? She asked Yuya as he turned his head to answer “You’re at Academia like I said you would be since you lost to me.” The shock was evident on Ruri’s face as Yuya moved forward she fought with all her remaining strength to free herself but Yuya’s grip on her was too strong. “My brother and Yuto will come save me!” she said finally giving up on the fight, Yuya still dragged down by his thoughts couldn’t think of a response and simply walked onwards towards the Professor’s throne room. Ruri finally collapsing from exhaustion just before entering the room.

**(Throne room)**

“Ray…” the Professor muttered under his breath when a rather glum Yuya entered the room with Ruri.

“Yuya leave her with me.” Yuya registered the command releasing Ruri but it was clear to the Professor that Yuya had something on his mind as he didn’t say a word as he left the room.

“Doktor come here immediately.” It was not long after this a bug eyed man with long white hair entered the room he was carrying a jar which contained a small insect a grin widened on his face as the insect entered the unconscious Ruri’s ear making its journey towards the brain.

The Doktor looked on happy that his creature had worked as Ruri stood up.

“She now belongs to you Professor.”

“That’s good Doktor,” the Professor paused, thinking “Take her to her cell and invite Yuya back into the room…I think he wants to speak to me about something.”

“Certainly Professor.”

 Walking out of the room the Doktor saw Yuya slumped against a pillar with hood off and googles down.

“Yuya?” The Doktor asked him, Yuya pretended not to pay any attention but the Doktor could see right through it. “The Professor wants you, I believe it is best if you go to see him.” Yuya nodded stood straight up, walked past the Doktor and went straight into the room.

The Professor knew something was wrong as Yuya walked in with his googles down, “Yuya…Tell me what happened.”

“Professor…” Yuya’s voice returned to that of the terrified seven year, that the Professor had first met in the halls of Academia, “It’s two things, first was that in the XYZ dimension I saw another boy who shared my face”

_So he saw the third piece…_

“Second that girl you sent me to get…” Yuya bit his tongue, struggling to follow the Professor’s orders _“A solider doesn’t cry!”_ reverberated in his head, “Her face reminded me of my previous life…My parents…My friends.”

“Yuya I think it’s best if you just forget about it and rest up I’ll be needing you again tomorrow.”

A small part of Yuya, standard Yuya wanted to rebel, the part that wanted to return to his old life with his friends and family it was however quickly shouted down by larger part of him, the Academia him who wanted to remain fiercely loyal to the man that had given him strength. His eyes underneath the googles became visible, his eyes were slitted showing clearly his decision on which path to take, “Yes Professor.”

Meanwhile in the standard dimension a boy with purple and pink hair who shared Yuya’s and Yuto’s face was walking with a girl sharing Ruri’s face. “Yuri?” the girl asked “Do you think you’re ready for this?” the boy turned to his friend of seven years “I’m most certainly am, I will avenge my father, Yuzu.”


	2. Rin's Kidnapping

**(Synchro dimension)**

A young teen with blue and blond hair was laying passed out on a sofa in a small apartment that he had rented out with his childhood friend and crush who was now standing directly over him.

“YUGO!” She shouted, grabbing him by his white jacket, shaking him awake, “YUGO!” she shouted again, Yugo began to stir but still remained halfway passed out. The girl let out a sigh she knew Yugo was a deep sleeper but didn’t realise that it was that deep, it took a full thirty minutes for Yugo to awaken from his slumber. “Ahhh, fully refreshed and ready to take on the day!” Yugo awoke with a large smile on his face which quickly turned upside down when he saw the girl teeming with anger in front of him. “R-Rin…” Yugo nervously said as sweat dripped down his face, “YUGO! YOU IDIOT!” Rin screamed directly into Yugo’s face “WE’RE LATE FOR THE TOURNAMENT!” Yugo’s brain suddenly shifted into gear as he quickly stood up from the sofa and ran into a nearby garage which held his and Rin’s D-wheel. “Why didn’t you wake me up earlier Rin?!” Yugo said as he hurriedly strapped on his helmet, taking quickly to the white D-wheel starting it up. “I tried to but it was like lifting a mountain with a fork!”  Rin sarcastic remark flew right over Yugo’s head as he was too busy trying to get the D-wheel started, Rin simply sighed strapping on her helmet resigning herself to riding on the back. The D-wheel suddenly spurted into life causing Yugo to race out without a second thought. As they raced out Rin noticed something Yugo failed to see, a hooded figure standing in one of the alleyways of the commons slums. “Yugo?” She asked still staring into the alleyway as they zoomed past, “Not now Rin, I’m busy trying to find this place…Now let’s see you take a left…No a right…” Rin wasn’t scared, as long as Yugo was with her she felt safe [1].

Meanwhile the hooded figure looked on with glee at how quickly he had found his target and her quite lacklustre boyfriend. “This is going to be too easy.” He said vanishing into a red flash.

**(The Tournament)**

“Y’all ready for another exciting tournament Folks!” The city renowned MC Melissa Claire announced to the resonating roar of the crowd. “Alrighty then! Today’s the final between Yugo and Magma! Welcome our two duelists to the track!” At this point both of them emerged from the tunnel and sped to the starting line with deafening cries coming from the crowd for both duelists.

_“YUGO! YUGO! YUGO!”_

_“MAGMA! MAGMA! MAGMA!”_

Yugo surveyed his opponent much like his name suggested his D-wheel was blinding red-orange colour and his riding suit was almost exactly the same except for hints of black, he turned his head Yugo trembled at the teen’s voice “I’m going to crush you into a pulp”  Yugo gulped and got ready for duel.

**_[Riding Duel Acceleration!]_**  Came the collective call.

**_[Let’s Duel]_** As the clock hit zero they raced off.

“Yugo’s got an early lead will he take the first corner?” Melissa said as enthusiastic as ever. It looked as if Yugo was going to take the first corner before Magma rammed his D-wheel into Yugo’s causing him to briefly lose control, “Why would you do that?!” came the reply from a still wobbling Yugo, “All’s fair in War!” Magma said taking the first corner.

“I’ll go first! I activate the spell Molten Conduction Field! This spell allows me to send two ‘Laval’ monsters to my graveyard! I send my Laval Magma Cannoneer and my Laval Volcano Handmaiden! My Handmaiden’s effect activates sending another Handmaiden to the graveyard which triggers that one’s effect sending my last handmaiden to the grave which now sends a second Cannoneer to the grave, now I activate the spell Rekindling allowing me to summon back all fir monsters from my grave yard with 200 Def so welcome back to the field three Handmaidens and two Cannoneers!”

The five monsters appeared out of a flaming vortex in front of Magma’s D-wheel bringing back the monsters which had been sent back to the graveyard.

“Wow!” Melissa exclaimed “Magma’s just summoned five monsters in one turn, Yugo must be feeling the heat now!”

“It’s too early to be impressed!” Magma said to the deafening roar of the crowd cheering him on “I tune my level 4 Cannoneer with my level 1 Handmaiden! I synchro summon! Level 5! T.G Hyper librarian!” _Level 5 (2400/1800)_  

The infamous librarian wearing a white cape with a purple inside appeared.

“I now do the same thing with my second Cannoneer and Handmaiden to synchro summon! Level 5! Laval Dual Slasher! _Level 5 (2400/200)_

“Wow! Wow! Magma’s just summoned two synchro monsters in one turn surely Yugo’s outclassed here!”

“I’m still not done I now normal summon Flamvell Baby from my hand!” The small ball of fire took the form of an infant with a large grin _Level 1 (800/200)_. “I forgot to mention when I synchro summon a monster librarian allows me to draw a card.” The smug Magma only got worse with his drawn card. “I now tune Handmaiden with baby to summon the synchro tuner monster Formula Synchron!” _Level 2 (200/1500)_

“My librarian’s effect activates with Formula’s activating as well allowing me to draw two cards from my deck! Now the grand finale I tune my level 5 T.G Hyper Librarian, Laval Dual Slasher with my Level 2 Formula Synchron! I synchro summon the dragon with the power of a supernova! Level 12! Shooting Quasar Dragon!” _Level 12 (4000/4000)_.

“A level 12 Synchro already! There is a reason why he’s the favourite after all!”

“I set 3 cards facedown and end my turn! Now come at me and destroy my Ultimate beast!”

Yugo took a deep breath and began his turn “It’s my turn, I draw!”

The turn was carefully watched up in the stands by Rin and not far behind Rin stood Yuya who was also watching closely “Show me what you’ve got _Fusion…”_

“Since I don’t control a monster I special summon Speedroid Terrortop! _Level 3 (1200/600),_ the connection of spinning tops appeared out of a blue portal, “Now using its effect I add Speedroid Taketomborg and I can special summon it since a control a wind monster!” _Level 3 (600/1200), “_ Now for a card Rin gave me!” Yugo looked up to see Rin smile and wave at him but he was still unable see Yuya standing only a few feet behind her. “Since I control two wind monsters I can special summon the tuner Windwitch- Snow bell!” The small bell ornament appeared _level 1 (100/100)._ “I then normal summon another tuner Speedroid Red eyed Dice!” Level 1 (100/100), “I then activate the Spell Giant Trunade return all spell and trap cards back to your hand”

“Humph…No matter I still have my Quasar which has 4000 pounding attack points so do your worst!”

“I plan too! I tune my Level 3 Taketomborg and Terrortop with my level 1 red eyed dice to synchro summon! Level 7! Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!” (2500/2000)

“Yugo’s ace appears can it bring him back from the brink of defeat!” Melissa was on the proverbial edge of her seat.

“I now tune Clear Wing Synchro Dragon with my Level 1 Snow bell to synchro summon my ultimate monster too! I synchro summon! Level 8! Crystal Wing Synchro Dragon!” _Level 8 (3000/2500)_. The crystallised clear wing let out a cry which was only matched by the crowd in sheer volume.

“Crystal Wing attack Quasar!”

“Have you lost your mind?! My Quasar has 4000 attack points and your Crystal Wing has only 3000! Quasar destroy that inferior dragon!”

Quasar unleashed a barrage of flames trying to destroy Crystal wing.

“Crystal Wing’s effect now activates since it is battling a level 5 or higher monster it gains that monster’s attack!”

“WHAT!”

Crystal Wing attack (3000 – 7000)

“I then activate the effect of Speedroid Damage Raiser in my hand! By sending this card in my hand to the graveyard I can double any damage you may take this turn!”

Crystal wing fired back on Quasar causing the seemingly invincible dragon’s destruction.

Magma (4000 – 0)

The blast was so powerful that it knocked Magma off his D-wheel, his body unmoving [2]

“There it is folks! In a single turn Yugo was able to defeat Magma’s Shooting Quasar Dragon and knock his life points!”

The crowd erupted even a few of the tops in the crowd were cheering Yugo’s performance.

“I say he is good.” One said holding a glass of champagne.

“But no one can beat Jack Atlas.” Said another one holding a briefcase with contracts in it. “He even beat my loan combo.” [3]

Back at the track Yugo had go to the centre to collect his trophy and cash prize.

“I’m now down here with the winner Yugo” Came Melissa holding the trophy in one, microphone in the other another person beside her was holding the envelope containing the money. “So is there anyone here you would like to dedicate your victory too?” Yugo grabbed the mic out of Melissa’s hand so quickly the cowgirl barely had time to register it, “I would like to dedicate it to my childhood friend Rin who has been supporting me all these years!” Up in the stands Rin was tearing up hearing this as she thought back to when she and Yugo first decided to build their D-wheel three years ago.

**(Three Years ago)**

In a scrap yard Yugo and Rin were busy scavenging for parts to their work in progress D-wheel.

“Is this the right piece?” Yugo was asking Rin holding a small metal cylinder in his hand.

Rin looked up from the pile of scrap she was looking through to see the part Yugo asked her about, “Yugo…That’s the fifth time you’ve asked me today…On the same piece…”

“I know that,” Said Yugo folding his arms, sticking out his tongue “I’m just making sure, if we want the D-wheel to be perfect you can’t be too careful.”

Rin collected Yugo’s part and the parts she had found and went to give them to the owner for sale. On the way there Yugo said “I can’t believe the tops just through this stuff out,” Yugo folded his arms behind his head “I mean the part I just found was brand new,” Rin smiled “Well, Yugo one man’s trash is another man’s treasure.” Carrying the parts they lead them on the counter in front of the owner who asked them a question.

“Aren’t you a little young to be out here by yourselves?” the man asked concerned about them.

“Yes we are but don’t worry our orphanage is just round the corner.” Rin’s conviction in her voice caused the man’s worries to disappear.

“What do you need all these parts for?”

“We’re going to build a D-Wheel to duel in the friendship cup!” Yugo’s energy was undeniable to the man who to once had a dream about dueling there too. [4]

“You know what kids…I won’t charge you for these parts go and follow your dreams” [5]

“That’s great Mr thank you very much!” Rin and Yugo quickly hurried off to their orphanage to start putting the finishing details on their D-wheel.

**(1 hour later)**

“There we go!” Yugo finally got the chance to stand up straight, he had been bent over since they got back and he could feel his back crack as he got up. “It’s finally done,” Rin stood beside Yugo “So what colour do you want to paint it?” she asked him, Yugo’s face fell “Oh…I hadn’t thought that far.” Rin simply laughed as it looked like was having a tough time trying to decide, “It’s okay Yugo we will paint it white, your colour” Yugo turned to face Rin, she could see the curiosity in his eyes, “Are you sure Rin? You’re okay with it?” She put her hand on his shoulder, “When we duel in the Friendship Cup you’ll probably get further than me so it is fine with me.” Yugo’s face reddened, “Okay-y-y Rin.”

**(Flashback Ends)**

“Rin…RIN!” Yugo shouted snapping Rin out of her flashback and back into reality, “Yugo? Aren’t you supposed to be down at the track?” Rin could see the trophy in his hand, looking around see also saw that everyone had seemingly left. “I was there but I’ve been trying to get your attention for the past ten minutes! It’s now night!” It was Yugo’s turn to get annoyed at someone’s tardiness. “Sorry Yugo I was just thinking back to three years ago” Yugo’s anger subsided as he realised what see meant. “It time to go Rin I-” Rin tuned out Yugo as just over his shoulder she could see the hooded figure from earlier on in the day. His face was barely visible, all she could make out was the twisted grin on his face before he disappeared without a trace. “Rin!” Yugo shouted again causing her to switch her attention to him “Stop spacing out we need to go now!” Rin nodded the thought of being followed still dragged her down, how long before this person attacked her? What was he going to do to her?

Riding back, Rin remained quiet still thinking about her stalker, “Rin?” Yugo’s voice was a comfort to her, “You’ve been quiet is something wrong? Rin didn’t want to worry Yugo as they arrived back at the garage “It’s nothing Yugo.” Rin rubbed her arm and was looking rather solemn, Yugo’s piercing glare made her second guess her thoughts “I just have this feeling I’m being followed,” Yugo listened carefully as Rin continued to explain what happened earlier today and over the previous days as well, “over the past couple of days I’ve seen this person who seems to be following me, at first I thought it was nothing as I only saw him out of the corner of my eye, I thought it was a trick of the eye and he wasn’t really there but…” Yugo urged Rin to continue “Today he was more prevalent I saw him twice today, First when we were leaving for the tournament final, I saw him standing in the alley looking directly at me as if he was specifically targeting me,” Yugo watched as Rin struggled through the explanation, he would let her rest afterwards. “The second time was just at the tournament he was standing not far behind you.” Yugo was shocked at how close he had come to Rin’s follower, he couldn’t believe he hadn’t noticed. “I could see the grin on his face, it was maddening I felt like I was staring into the abyss and the abyss was staring back into to me.” Rin was still solemn as Yugo finally spoke, “Everything is going to be okay Rin I’ll protect you…Get some rest and then tomorrow we’ll go find this guy and take him out!” Yugo placed his hands on Rin’s giving her a comforting smile, “Thanks Yugo…” Rin left to get sleep with Yugo spending time finely tuning the D-wheel.

Outside of the garage Yuya was standing silently outside listening in “Oh my, they’re coming after me tomorrow what ever will I do?” He was as mocking as could be, he was about to leave when a call came through his disk, “What is it Professor?” Yuya asked “How close are you to bringing me the girl Yuya?” The Professor’s voice was demanding “I’m outside their place of residence at the minute why do you ask?” Yuya was curious to the oddly specific question. “I need you to bring her to me now!” An outburst wasn’t what Yuya was expecting but he responded anyway, slightly shocked “Yes Professor I’ll begin now.” Yuya disconnected the call and began to make his move.

He entered the garage, Yugo had passed out on the ground from spending to long tuning the D-wheel. Yuya walked carefully as not to wake Yugo up, “So much for protecting your girlfriend _Fusion_.” Yuya quietly whispered making his way up to Rin’s room. Rin’s bracelet gem started to glow softly though she didn’t have enough time to question before Yuya burst into the room. “Hello there…Rin.” The sight of her stalker caused Rin to Scream causing Yugo to awaken blow them, “Was that Rin?!” Yugo’s voice came as music to Rin’s ears, Yuya on the other hand was displeased that Rin had awoken Yugo “Silly girl, look what you’ve done!” Yuya grabbed Rin’s arm, her bracelet glowed green causing Yuya and Rin to disappear just as Yugo came into the room, “RIN! WHERE ARE YOU?! RIN?!” Yugo desperately searched for Rin in the house before taking to the streets on his D-wheel.

**(Unknown Location in Synchro dimension)**

Yuya and Rin reappeared in what looked to be another slum still in the synchro dimension much to Yuya’s dismay. “You could’ve made it easier for yourself,” He said releasing Rin’s arm and readying his duel disk “you could’ve come silently with me back to Academia but no…” Rin shook in sheer terror as Yuya’s face let loose a malicious grin “Still!” Yuya declared trying hard not burst into a fit of insane laughter. “I always enjoy crushing those who oppose the Professor!” Rin in response readied her disk she as Yuya was going to force her into doing it anyway.

**_[Let’s Duel]_ **

**Yuya: 4000   Rin: 4000    cards x5**   

“I’ll go first, since I don’t control a monster I can special summon Windwitch – Ice Bell!” The witch with purple hair appeared _Level 3 (1000/1000)_ “When this card is summoned I can summon another Windwitch from my hand I choose the tuner Glass bell!” The witch with teal hair appeared Level _4 (1500/1500)_ “When Ice bell is summoned you take 500 points of damage!” The witch conjured a blizzard knocking Yuya back against a nearby wall.

Yuya (4000 – 3500)

“Now I tune my Ice bell with my Glass bell to Synchro Summon! Level 7! Windwitch - Winter bell!” A monster that can be considered a larger version of Snow Bell came out of the beam of light caused by the Synchro summon.

“Now Winter bell’s effect triggers I target one ‘Windwitch’ monster in my graveyard and you’re dealt damage equal to that monsters level x200, I target Glass bell dealing you 800 points of damage!” Another blizzard appeared this time knocking Yuya’s hood off nearly taking his googles off as well.

Yuya (3500 – 2700)

“I set one card face down and end my turn! Come at me you freak!” Rin put on a façade of confidence in all reality she was deeply scared of this person.

“So that’s your strategy? To sit back and burn me for damage?” Yuya’s monotone voice scared Rin more than when he was maniacal, “You’re even more pathetic than I thought, it’s my turn, I draw, I activate Performance call, this card allows me to add one ‘Performapal’ monster to my hand.” A card ejected from Yuya’s duel disk, he snatched it too quickly for Rin to see it. “I then normal summon Performapal Whip snake,” The top hatted viper appeared bearing its fangs at Winter bell. “I too set one card face down and end my turn, it’s your move.”

“My turn I draw” Rin surveyed the field and her hand she was confident that she would hold off long enough for Yugo to find her and then they would beat this guy together.

Meanwhile Yugo was still busy trying to find Rin, he had felt the cold that he thought could have only come from one of Rin’s monsters, given how often he dueled with her it was easy to tell when it was just a normal cold or when it was one of Rin’s Windwitch monsters which had tormented him during his childhood. _I’ll find you Rin and when I do I’ll beat that guy into the dirt along with you,_ Yugo went in the direct he best felt where Rin was, following the cold air.

“I activate Winter bell’s effect, once again targeting glass bell to deal you 800 points of damage!” This blizzard knocked Yuya’s cloak fully off revealing his entire appearance to Rin.

Yuya (2700 – 1900)

“You’re still going on with that burn strategy of yours? You have no right to call yourself a duelist!” Yuya was livid at two things, first he had lost his disguise meaning if that idiot saw him he wouldn’t be able to carry out the rest of the Professor’s plan and second this strategy angered him to his very core.

“What’s that supposed to mean?” Rin asked looking rather pleased with her handiwork, “Last time I checked you stalked me for a week and then tried to abduction m…Wait why do you look like Yugo?” This was the first time Rin had fully looked at Yuya’s face the resemblance to bore to Yugo’s was striking to Rin was shocked and was about to start speaking again before Yuya cut her off.

“DON’T LINK ME AGAIN TO THAT IDIOT!” Yuya was screaming at the top of his lungs, he was so loud even a still relatively far away Yugo could hear him. _Is that where Rin is?_ Yugo turned his D-wheel to follow Yuya’s voice still screaming at the top of his lungs.

Rin decided in order to stop Yuya from screaming she would have to defeating him quickly before the people around here took suspicion as she was certain she was in just another part of the commons slums, “Winter bell attack Whip snake!” The freezing cold took full effect as Whip snake was simply snapped in half after being frozen by the cold.

Yuya (1900 - 1200)

Yuya still screaming as he hit the ground suddenly stopped to Rin’s surprise, “You’ve finally stopped” She once again looked over the Crimson eyed boys face as he got up, “I don’t know why I considered you a threat. I end my turn”

Yuya’s eyes slitted as he laughed mockingly “You’re about to see why! I draw I activate my face down the trap Performance Reborn! I remove from the graveyard one Performapal to summon one monster from my hand! I remove whip snake to summon the dragon with wonderful and beautiful dichromatic eyes! Odd Eyes Dragon!” _Level 7 (2500/2000),_ “Now I activate polymerization fusing together Performapal Nightmare Knight and Odd Eyes Mirage Dragon! Fusion Summon! Level 8! Performapal Odd Eyes Metal Claw!” _Level 8 (3000/2500)_.

“At this point I activate my trap card Lost Wind!” A fog descended onto the field, “Lost wind not only negates the effect of the targeted monster but halves its attack points! I target Metal claw!” The mist started to envelop Metal claw but was stopped when a barrier prevented it from constricting the monster. “Why isn’t it working?!” Rin exclaimed while Yuya tried to contain himself as explained “Since I used polymerization to fusion summon Metal claw it can’t be targeted by card effects!” Rin took a step back realising all she could do know was hope Yugo could find her, “Battle! Metal claw take out that Winter bell! Claw’s effect now activates every monster on my field gains 300 attack points!”

Claw’s attack (3000 – 3300)

Odd Eye’s Attack (2500 – 2800)

A vicious and quick swipe from metal claw tore winter bell in two.

Rin (4000 – 3100)

“Odd Eyes direct attack! Spiral Flame Strike!”

The strength of Odd Eye’s attack knocked Rin to the ground.

Rin (3100 – 300)

Yuya took this opportunity to find his cloak and put it back on as he could hear Yugo’s voice and D-wheel approaching.

“Time to end this! I remove Nightmare Knight from my grave to trigger its effect, since you took battle damage you now take an additional 1000 points of damage! Drown in the Abyss!”

Rin’s eyes widened in horror as a ball of dark energy was shot directly at her, she faded into unconsciousness, the last thing she heard was Yugo’s screaming voice.

Rin (300 – 0)

**_Yuya: Win_ **

Yuya went to collect his prize and just like he did with Ruri draped her over his shoulder as his face was caught in Yugo’s headlights, “You give Rin back now!” Yugo was cracking his knuckles getting ready to crush Yuya into oblivion “I’m sorry the show is over for the night! Now if you excuse us we need to leave!” Yugo only briefly caught Yuya’s face but he like Yuto before him was shocked into silence as Yuya and Rin disappeared.

Arriving in the halls of Academia Yuya made his way to the professor’s room sneezing the whole way there, “Ugh” he sighed wiping his nose on his sleeve, “Damn blizzard ice monsters…Why couldn’t see use another monster archetype!” Yuya continued rambling onto to himself as he walked on.

**(Standard Dimension)**

In the changing rooms of a massive stadium sat Yuri silently mulling over his deck while thinking back to the events that brought him here and what had happened to get him in this place.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: So that is the second chapter. It’s amazing what you can do with a spare 11 hours on your hands. About the fact I chose Laval as the deck of Yugo’s opponent it is because Laval is the only synchro deck I have an understanding of and that is also very limited which is why the duel only lasted two turns. Also I feel like such an ass for teasing Yuri twice in a row so I promise that the next chapter will be about him. Here are the notes  
> Notes:  
> [1, 4 and 5] I’m going to make a list every time I write something that disappoints me.  
> [2] He’s dead (Actually…Yugo killed him)  
> [3] Guess the 5D’s reference


	3. Yuri and Pendulum

**(Standard Dimension)**

In the changing rooms of a massive stadium sat Yuri silently mulling over his deck while thinking back to the events that brought him here and what had happened to get him in this place. He still had retained some of his less than stellar attributes but that is what made him, he took a card out of his extra deck ‘ _Starve Venom Fusion Dragon’_ , the card brought back memories of seven years past. Yuri sighed…

**(Seven Years ago)**

It was in the dead of night.

“Okay…Where the hell am I?” A startled Yuri rubbed his eyes in disbelief at his surrounding area, just a moment ago he was walking in the corridors of Academia and now he seemed to be in a makeshift building which looked like a lawsuit waiting to happen.

“Are you okay there?” Yuri turned to see a middle aged man with orange-brown hair staring back at him, the man took a closer look at him and exclaimed in shock “YUYA!” Yuri covered his ears, this man was loud “WHAT ARE YOU DOING HERE SO LATE?!”

Yuri quickly adjusted to the situation at hand “I regret to inform you sir but I’m not this Yuya you speak of.” the man looked perplexed rubbing his forehead trying to think of a response, “Well you are you then and why do you look exactly like him?” Yuri couldn’t believe what was happening but pressed on anyway “I’m Yuri and I still don’t know this Yuya person.” The man leaned in closer to get a more precise look at Yuri’s face, Yuri shivered unused to someone getting this close to his face, the man’s face darkened as he retreated his stance back to where he was, “Hmmm…Okay I believe you Yuri…It still doesn’t explain your resemblance to Yuya,” Yuri was about to speak when the man raised his hand “Follow me.” Yuri obliged as he followed the man throughout the building, Yuri noticed how this place paled in comparison to Academia but strangely he felt his sprit lift, the warm and welcoming nature was a lot different to the cold harshness he had felt at Academia. “Where am I again?”  Yuri asked realising he still didn’t know where he was “You’re at You Show Duel School!” The man shouted with a passion once again causing Yuri to cover his ears “The pride of Miami City!” Yuri was about to question the last part before getting cut off “Founded by the one and only!” The man pointed to a picture of a man wearing a red performer’s outfit “Yusho Sakaki!”

“Who’s that?” The man’s face fell to Yuri’s question “I’ve never heard of him…”

“WHAT!!!!!!!!!!!!” Yuri could swear that he was going to lose the use of his ears before he could get out of here. “Have you been living on an island for the last couple years?!”  

That was actually an accurate question, “Tell me more about him.”

At this point the man in question arrived into the room.

“Yuya there you are!”

Yuri sighed and rubbed his temples this was going to be a long night.

**(2 hours later)**

“So once again I’m Yuri not your son Yuya.” Yuri sighed how could these people be so stupid?

“So why do you look so much like him face wise?” Yusho narrowed his eyes.

“For the fortieth time I have no clue why, I don’t even know the guy now please let me leave” Yuri pushed his way through the two men about to leave before being grabbed by the collar by Yusho.

“I think you best come with me…Yuri”

“Al-l-l right just-t-t let go-o-o you’re choking me!” a still wheezing Yuri followed Yusho out of the building.

**(One month later)**

***Morning***

“YURI!” Yoko’s voice caused the purple haired boy to bolt down stairs, during the month he had spent at Yuya’s house he learnt not to cross the former bike gang leader. _She’s even worse than the Professor when mad_ Yuri could still feel the pain of that day on his face. “Yes mother?”

“Breakfast is ready so sit down with your father he wants to talk to you.” Yuri peered across the table to see Yusho there, coffee mug in hand.

“Yuri,” Yusho said taking a sip of his coffee as Yuri sat down “Your mother and I have elected to send you to Yuya’s school.” Yuri’s face dropped he still didn’t understand why he had to go to school. “I know you’ll find it tough at first but you’ll get used to it.” Yuri poked at the food in front of him thinking about what to say next. “Now before you find a way to weasel out of going to school we’ve already sorted out a uniform and told the teachers that you will be in the class tomorrow.” Yuri finally spoke up “Why can’t I just stay here with you?” Yoko stepped in “Because you need to socialize with people and you can’t just stay here for the rest of your life!” Yuri pouted and folded his arms not talking for the rest of breakfast. Yuri continued to mope about for the rest of the day even when Yusho offered to duel Yuri to make him smile Yuri turned the offer down citing that he wasn’t in the mood to do it.

***Night***

“Yuri?” Yusho opened the door and stepped into Yuri’s room to see the young boy curled up in the middle of his bed head buried in his shirt. Yusho went up and placed his arm around the boy. “Yuri, you know it takes less muscles to smile then it does to frown” Yuri took his head out of his shirt to look up at the man who told him showing emotion wasn’t bad like the Professor made out to be. Yusho smiled at the boy who shared his former son’s face. “If you ever feel like crying just laugh.” Yuri looked on in disbelief he couldn’t believe what he was hearing that had to be the most stupid philosophy he had ever heard in his life but for some strange reason he felt compelled to follow as he let out a small chuckle. “That’s it Yuri! Let it all out!” Yusho laughed as Yuri’s got progressively louder. Yuri finally let loose, for the first time in his life he was laughing genuinely not as he would’ve done so at Academia. Yuri was happy.

**(The next day)**

“Be safe Yuri!” Yoko shouted as Yuri left the house for the first time since he had been transported here. “I will, you have no need to worry mother.” Yuri shouted back with a small smile on his face Yusho following him to make sure that he wouldn’t do anything _unwarranted_. Yuri continued on towards the school making his way to the gates, minding his own business when he was suddenly blind sighted by a fan from a young pink haired girl in front of him. “What the hell was that FOR?!” Yuri was trembling with anger as he ran towards the girl and grabbed her “DO THAT AGAIN AND I RIP YOUR SPINE OUT!” the young girl shook as Yuri released her under instruction from Yusho who looked on disapprovingly, “Y-Y-Yuya…You’re scaring me…” Yuri sighed “ _Not this again.”_ He took another look at the girl’s face it remained him of someone he had seen once or twice at Academia before but never spoken to. “I’m not Yuya…” the girl cocked her head, “I’m Yuri. Who are you?” The girl thought this over before laughing and playfully punching Yuri “Silly Yuya,” Yuri began to rage again “how could you not know me your best friend Yuzu.” Yuri calmed himself enough to answer “Like I said before I’m not Yuya but it’s a pleasure to meet you Yuzu” He extended his hand out in a polite greeting, Yuzu didn’t understand this and it took her a good while with eventual help from Yusho and her father who was nearby to get the full story even somewhat under control. “So Yuya’s…gone?” she said with tears in her eyes, “There, there.” Her father Shuzo patted her, “Yuri’s here now and I think he can be just as good a friend as Yuya.” Yuzu looked towards a smiling Yuri, super imposing Yuya’s face over his. “Yuzu?” Yuri asked kindly “I think we best be going into class now we are late after all” Yuzu quietly followed still thinking about Yuya.

“I’m beginning to think telling her that Yuya won’t be coming back wasn’t a good idea.”

“You don’t say YUSHO!”

In the school foyer Yuzu was thinking about all of the memories she had of Yuya specifically of the duel only the other day.

“Yuzu?” Yuri tapped her shoulder “Are you alright there?”

To prevent Yuri from finding out her true feelings held in her tears when talking “I’m fine Yuri.” She put on a fake smile as she guided/pushed Yuri around the school.

“Class we have a new student today. Make him feel at home” Yuri got up and made his way to the front under glare from everyone “I’m Yuri…” he said rubbing the back of his head, “Do you have a last name Yuri?” the teacher asked him nonchalantly “Well I guess it would be Sakaki…”

**(Four years later)**

***Friday***

“YUZU!” A panting Yuri fell back on a patch of grass looking at the sky, his knees weak from the blistering run “Slow down for once in your life.” During the four years he had spent here he knew Yuzu for a lot of things, her running speed was something else entirely. “Speed up for once in your life Yuri!” Yuzu said siting on the grass next to him staring into his violet eyes. “What are we? I’d like an explanation” Yuri’s rant continued “First you show up randomly at the house, second you literally pull me away from my plants nearly strangling me in the process and third you just ran away as I came to.” Yuzu laughed causing Yuri to snap “TELL ME OR I’LL TEAR YOUR FACE OFF!” His face was scarlet Yuzu continued to laugh as she spoke “Yuri do you not recognise this place?” Yuri subdued for the moment looked around as the realisation hit him.  “This You Show…Where I first appeared here.” Yuri saw the lopsided building behind him. “That’s right for someone so smart you can be pretty short sighted at times.” Yuri shoved Yuzu playfully causing a smile to creep onto both of their faces. “I still remember that time you stood Sky up in history.” Yuzu said think back to that event, “I’m certain he’s still having nightmares…Look there he is.” Yuri pointed as Sky walked past the two, flipping Yuri off as he went by, “Dickhead…” The two heard him mutter as he walked on with his brother wildly gesticulating in front of him.

Yuzu looked over Yuri again she still couldn’t help but feel sad when she saw Yuri as it brought back memories of Yuya. Yuri noticed this change of tone quickly and moved in to comfort Yuzu.

“You’re remembering Yuya again aren’t you?” Yuri looked on as Yuzu picked a handful of grass and rolled it between her fingers.

“What gave it away?” a solemn Yuzu said refusing to look at Yuri’s face.

“I don’t know maybe the fact you are crying.” A tear dripped from Yuzu’s eye as Yuri said this.

“Yuri…It’s just…It’s just” Yuzu buried her head into Yuri’s shirt “I miss him…” Yuri held Yuzu’s head.

“Look at me Yuzu.” Yuri forced Yuzu head up “Yuya may be gone but I’m here now and I won’t let anything more happen to you, one day Yuya may even come back then you’ll have nothing more to worry about when it comes to him.”

Yuzu wrapped her arms around Yuri’s waist causing the male in question to blush a bright red “Thank you Yuri…” Yuri hugged back still blushing.

***Saturday***

Standing outside of his house with Yoko, Yuri could barely contain himself as Yuzu approached.

“Yuri you look awfully happy today.” Yuzu stated at a giddy Yuri “Did one of your plants give someone a rash again?” Yuzu knew Yuri sometimes enjoyed tricking people with his plants (he had a Venus flytrap bite Sky only last week). “No my dear Yuzu, something much better is happening.” Yuri had more fire than usual which only worried Yuzu more, “What is it?” a smiling Yuri replied to Yuzu’s question “It’s the day of my father’s championship match how could I not be excited!” Yuzu looked at the boy’s appearance, he was wearing a purple shirt with a black collar, silver trousers and brown shoes. Yuzu smacked her forehead “Oh that’s right I completely forgot!”

“YURI! YUZU! Are you ready?” Yoko’s voice startled the two into action. “Yes we are.” “Right let’s get going.”

When they got there Yuri and Yuzu ran as quickly as they could.

“Yuri slow down!” Yuzu screamed as Yuri continued on running without her.

“I hope the irony won’t be lost on you Yuzu my dear.”

The two raced towards their seats Yuri jumping up and down in excitement.

“Yuri calm down.” Yoko was assertive to say the least.

At this point a man wearing a black and yellow striped suit came into the stadium.

**(Flashback end)**

Yuri didn’t want to remember anymore, it hurt him far too much, nothing could eliminate the pain of that day, the man who had taken him in and managed to stay happy even when his own son disappeared had now too vanished without a trace.

Cries of _“COWARD!”_ and _“WEAKLING!”_ rang in his head.

A door creaked in the changing rooms, Yuri looked up to see Yuzu enter the room.

“Oh…Hey Yuzu” he etched out still depressed by his memories.

“You don’t have to do this if you don’t want to Yuri.” Yuzu mumbled rubbing her arm.

“But I have to I have no other choice, I need to prove that my father was no coward as the crowd would deride him.” Yuzu noticed that Yuri was wearing Yuya’s pendant as it was the only thing that kept him going.

Yuzu was about to speak before getting cut off Yuri “I’ll make them pay like nothing else.” His eyes flashing bright purple for a few seconds before returning to normal. He stood up pushing his way through Yuzu at the door, revenge was the only thing on his mind.

“Ladies and Gentlemen! I’m Nico Smiley!” A man with a black moustache wearing a yellow and black striped suit declared into a microphone to the rapturous applause from the crowd. “Here is the match of the century! Now before I’ll set the scene with the action field ‘Castle of Chaos’!” With a quick snap of the fingers the field spell appeared around Nico. “In one corner we have the undefeated champion of three years!” A man with tri pointed pink hair wearing a set of amour slowly emerged from the castle and stood atop the battlements. “Strong Ishijima!” He let out a deafening battle cry to the applause from his fan club I.e. the whole crowd.

“Now for his challenger, the adopted son of the great entertainment duelist Yusho Sakaki! Put your hands together for Yuri Sakaki!” The whole crowd expected Yuri to appear but as the time passed there was no sign of the purple haired duelist.

Up in the stands Yuzu, Shuzo and Gongenzaka [1] watched on with anticipation.

“Yuri…” Yuzu muttered

“If he doesn’t turn up we won’t get that new Arc system.” Yuzu shot daggers at her father as she forced him to retract that statement.

“He’ll turn up…He always does” Yuzu clapped her hands together.

Murmurs began to go round the crowd.

 _“What a surprise, he’s just like his father”, “Coward!”, “Wimp”_.

The crowd erupted into disapproval, Ishijima was in particular annoyance.

 “Where is that boy, I need to crush him to prove my worth as the true champion.”

  Unknown to the crowd and Ishijima, Yuri was slowly making his way behind the champion.

“ _Behind you!_ ” The crowd roared causing the champion to turn around and get the shock of his life when the grinning Yuri was standing right behind him. The shock he gave Strong caused Yuri to laugh loudly much to Strong’s irritation, “You little brat!” He shouted grabbing Yuri’s shirt. “Why are you surprised?” Yuri wagged his finger “A predator always surprises its prey!” Yuri was thrown down spitefully as the action duel chant began.

“Duelists locked in battle!” The crowd began the chant

“Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!” Strong continued  

“They storm through this field! Behold!” Yuri grinned as they chanted together.

“This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! ACTION…DUEL!” Their duel disks were readied and the duel began.

**_[Action cards dispersed]_ **

**_[Let’s Duel]_ **

Yuri: 4000 LP   Strong: 4000LP     Cards x5

“I’ll go first!” Yuri declared “I summon Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio!” _level 3 (1200/800)_. The green plant covered scorpion appeared beside Yuri “I now use its effect by sending Predaplant Cordyceps from my hand to the graveyard I can summon another Predaplant from my deck. Appear Predaplant Darlington Cobra!” _Level 3 (1000/1500)._ “When Cobra is special summoned I can search out Polymerization from my deck!” The card ejected from the duel disk as he showed it to Strong mockingly “What you can fusion summon?!” Yuri laughed mockingly again “For how much you speak about my father, I’m surprised you didn’t know this!” Strong eyes widened as Yuri jumped down from the castle “I activate Polymerization! Fusing together my two beautiful plants to create a botanical nightmare! I fusion summon! Level 7! Predaplant Chimera rafflesia!”  The twin headed plant sprouted from the ground drooling nectar from both mouths. _Level 7 (2500/2000)_

Yuri fell on top of the monster which began to run away under its master’s orders. The crowd fell into disapproval again murmuring. Nearby Yuzu one said _“Well that settles it he’s a coward just like his father.”_ Yuzu at this point went ballistic attempting to run and smack that audience member with her fan before getting restrained by Gong and her father, “Lemme at him!” Gong’s grip was too strong as she failed to free herself from his vice grip “That’s not going to settle anything!” Yuzu sighed and retreated back.

 “It’s your turn now” Yuri was now in the forest as Strong began his turn.

“You little runt I’m going to give you a beating you’ll never forget! I draw!” The champion grinned “I activate Feast of the Wild LV5!” A huge bonfire appeared on the field “It allows me to summon two level 5 warrior type monsters to the field with their effects negated!” Two huge bulking behemoths both Platte swaps of each other and both wielding massive clubs appeared out of the bonfire, “I summon Lava Battleguard and Swamp Battleguard!” _Swamp Battleguard Level 5 (1800/1500), Lava Battleguard Level 5 (1550/1800)._ “I now release Lava Battleguard and Swamp Battleguard to Tribute Summon! Battleguard King!” The merger of the two behemoths emerged from the forest ripping tress out of their roots before letting out a deafening roar much to the excitement of the crowd as Strong jumped down landing on his monsters shoulder. _Battleguard King Level 8 (3000/1100)_. “Battle! King attacks your hideous monster!” The king raised his club to smash Yuri’s monster “I activate the action card evasion your attack is negated!” Rafflesia dodged the attack barely “Nice try but since I used at least 1 Battleguard monster in his tribute Battleguard King can attack your monster again! Do it King!” A cloud of smoke appeared with crowd wondering what happened. “I activate the action spell miracle preventing my monsters destruction and halving the damage!”

Yuri (4000 – 3750)

“I set one card face down and end my turn it’s your move little runt” The card materialised in front of him as he begrudgingly ended his turn.

“It’s time for the finishing blow! I draw! I activate a continuous spell Seed Cannon Salvo! Once per turn I send one Predaplant to the graveyard to inflict three hundred points of damage!”

 Ishijima (4000 – 3700)

“Next all of your monsters lose 600 attack points!”

King’s attack (3000 – 2400)

“Battle! Rafflesia attack Battleguard King! At this point Rafflesia’s effect activates give my monster an extra 1000 attack points and weakening yours by the same amount and by activating the quick play spell Predablast you are dealt damage equal to your monsters original attack points when it hits the graveyard! So that’s game over!”

Rafflesia attack (2500 – 3500)

King attack (2400 – 1400)

The crowd cheered as another smoke cloud appeared on the field with everyone expecting to see Yuri as the victor but as the smoke cleared there stood Strong still on top of Battle guard King he was panting and sweating an action card appearing behind him.

“I too activate the action card miracle”

Strong (3700 – 2800)

Yuri was horrified as he was certain he had won, things were about to get much worse now “I activate my trap Battleguard Rage! This card increases King’s attack by 2000! Now since it’s the end of the battle phase your Rafflesia’s attack goes back to normal!”

King attack (1400 – 4400)

Rafflesia (3500 – 2500)

“I end my turn”

“Battleguard King attack Rafflesia!”

Yuri (3700 – 1800)

“I activate Battleguard magic giving me life points equal to the half the destroyed monsters attack”

 Strong (2800 – 4050)

Yuri lay on the ground, Yuzu was right he wasn’t ready to do this it was too much for him to handle. Thoughts went back to his training at Academia, there he beat everyone in sight but everyone here was much stronger than the average student, he lay thinking of Yusho’s words of wisdom [2]. He stood back up as Yuya’s pendent around his neck began to glow.

“It’s my turn! I draw!!!” At this point two cards in his hand changed Predaplant Fly Trap and Predaplant Moray Nepenthes.

**(Fusion Dimension)**

Yuya was sitting in his dorm minding his own business, “Just one more day…” he muttered, he then caught a glow coming from his deck robbing him of his current train of thought he took out Odd eyes, Timegazer and Stargazer watching as they turned into dual coloured cards of green and orange with two coloured gems with numbers beneath them on either side. “What in the world…”

**(Standard Dimension)**

“With Scale 1 Predaplant Moray Nepenthes and Scale 8 Predaplant Fly Trap I set the Pendulum scale!”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> 1 and 2: I’m far too lazy and don’t think I have the skill to write the in so you’ll have to deal with that.


	4. Aftermath of Pendulum

“What is happening?” Strong’s eyes widened in horror as Yuri set the pendulum scale.

“With this scale I can summon monsters level 2 through 7 all at the same time!” Yuri declared with a fire in his eyes.

_“Swing pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum summon!”_

“Starve Venemy Dragon and Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra both in attack mode!” _Starve Venemy Dragon Level 7 Pendulum scale: 1 (2500/2000), Predaplant Drosophyllum Hydra Level 5 (800/2300)._

**(Leo Corporation HQ)**

“Mr President,” a stocky, fair-skinned man with black hair that had four grey bangs at the front wearing blue-lensed hexagonal glasses with a grey business suit burst into a dimly light office, “What is it Nakajima?” came the voice from a young man with purple eyes and grey hair who was sitting on a chair minding his own business. “Sir there have been reports of a strange new summoning method with powerful fusion summoning too?” The gray haired teen raised an eyebrow “Fusion you say? Show me a live feed.” The teen pushed his glasses up his face as he thought _“Could it have started already..?”_

**(Stadium [1])**

Up in the stands Yuzu, Gongenzaka and Shuzo looked on in utter disbelief.

“Pendulum…” Yuzu stumbled over her words stunned from this surprising development.

“Alright! That’s the power of You show’s ace Yuri!” Shuzo pumped his fist excited that Yuri was now on a path to victory (mainly just happy about getting the new Arc system).

“Now Fly trap’s pendulum effect activates! It switches the attack and defence points!

King attack (4400 – 1100)

“I then activate Starve Venemy’s effect! I target one monster on your field, negate its effect, make it lose 500 Atk and finally you take 500 points of damage! Gluttony Spore!” Vines extended out of Venemy constricting the bulking behemoth sucking the life out of the monster before numerous small spores attacked Strong.

King attack (1100 – 600)

Strong (4050 – 3550)

“I play Seed Cannon Salvo’s effect sending Predaplant Lilylizard to the graveyard you lose another 300 life points!”

Strong (3550 – 3250)

“Next by banishing Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio I activate Hydra’s effect causing your monster to lose more attack points, 500 to be exact!”

King attack (600 – 100)

“I activate Cordyceps ability from the graveyard by banishing this card I can special summon two Predaplants from my graveyard! Revive and sprout again! Predaplant Darlington Cobra and Predaplant Lilylizard!”

 “Cobra’s effect adds Polymerization to my hand and Lilylizard allows me to draw one card from my deck.”

“I activate my second polymerization fusing Lilylizard and Cobra together!”

“It’s coming…” Yuzu clapped her hands together.

“Obscured predator of legend! Sweet-smelling flower that invites the abyss! Now become one and from hell beneath your petals, give birth to a new terror! Fusion summon! Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!” _2800/2000 PS: 4_.

In the Leo corp CEO’s room the teen simply smirked _“Father is he really the forefront of an invasion? My how your ‘standards’ have fallen.”_

“Battle! Starve Venemy attack Battleguard king!” Yuri was brutal in his tone and execution as the vines tightened around king’s body as the behemoth went down causing its destruction.

Strong (3250 – 850)

“This is the true finale! Starve Venom direct attack!” The dragon flew with Yuri on its shoulder as the cut of Strong’s path to an action card.

The vine this time constricted Strong robbing him of his remaining life points.

Strong (850 – 0)

**_Yuri: Win!_ **

The crowd erupted into applause as a dark fog descended off of Yuri.

“Huh…” Yuri grabbed his head, “What happened?” Yuri’s curious gaze went over to see Strong laying on the ground unconscious “What’s Strong doing on the ground?” Yuri wasn’t able to delve further into his train of thought before Nico approached much to his surprise he announced something he wasn’t expecting, “That was quiet an exquisite win Yuri.” Nico pressed the microphone into Yuri’s face much to the latter’s distaste “You must tell us about that new summoning method you used.” Yuri was confused to say the least “What are you talking about?” Nico about to speak was interrupted by the appearance of Yuzu and co. “Yuri you did it!” Yuzu throw herself on top of the Purple haired boy causing him redden. “I always knew you could do it!” Gong shoved Yuzu off Yuri crushing Yuri in a massive hug, “G-G-Gongenzaka get-t-t off me I can’t breathe!” Gong loosened his strangle hold allowing Yuri room to breathe. Yoko had also come down with the others to witness her son’s victory “You did well Yuri you did well.” She ruffled Yuri’s hair leading the boy to let out a small smile.

**(Leo Corporation HQ)**

“Pendulum…” Purple eyes zeroed in on the name of this new summoning method and of its inventor, “Yuri Sakaki the adopted son of Yusho who disappeared three years ago and foster brother of Yuya Sakaki who vanished seven years ago.” The president’s curiosity as Nakajima moved to another screen showing Yuri’s Win/Lost ratio and other information “It’s a 50% win rate, he’s a year 8 [2] in Maiami Second Middle School and learns at You show duel school, yet he has the ability to perform powerful fusion summons,” he fixed his glasses and leaned back “Nakajima keep an eye on this boy and alert me if the sensors go off again.”  Nakajima stiffened as he spoke “You don’t think he could be…” a piercing glance from the purple eyes across from him told more than words could ever say, “Yes Mr. President I’ll notify you if I see anything.” He left the room trembling as he walked.

**(You Show Duel School)**

Yuri was rubbing his temples viciously “Okay one more time…” he asked Yuzu and Gongenzaka in front of him “I did what exactly?” Yuzu replied confused Yuri wouldn’t remember what had happened “You created a new summoning method called ‘Pendulum’…” Yuri was even more confused “Pendulum?” Yuri threw his arms in the air before folding them in annoyance, “Never heard of it! You must be delusional!” Yuzu grabbed Yuri’s arms shocking the boy in this _unusual_ show of aggression “Yuri you dolt! Check your deck if you don’t believe me.” Yuri took the hint rather quickly not wanting to risk the wrath of Yuzu’s fan, much to Yuri’s amazement he had found that some of his cards had indeed changed, “This is certainly an interesting development,” Yuri looked Yuzu dead in the eyes, “what did you all this method again my dear?” Yuzu’s guard dropped Yuri seemed to have a way of flustering her, “It’s called Pendulum Yuri…” Yuzu flushed, “Pendulum huh?” Yuri looked into his extra deck, “Starve Venom has changed as well?!” Yuri, Yuzu and Gong all looked at the now pendulum fusion monster, Gong was the first to raise a question “What do you think you’ll do about this then Yuri?” Yuri smirked “Two things my friend, First I’ll have to get this summoning method mastered then I’ll be a certain favourite for the Maiami championship,” Yuri opened out his palm envisioning the world in his hand “second once I win the championship my journey to be the strongest duelist and stand alone in the world can begin!” 

“Err…Yuri?” Yuzu could see the malice of Yuri’s expression which only came out when he fantasized a little too much, “You’re making that face again” Yuri snapped out of his fantasies when he heard that sentence “Guess I got carried away again didn’t I?” Yuri laughed rubbing the back of his head while Yuzu and Gong sighed not noticing Shuzo burst into the room behind them.

“YURI!” Seven years had passed and Shuzo was still as loud as ever to Yuri “I’d like the use of my eardrums!” Yuri sneered “What do you want?” Yuri’s remark seemed to have no effect on Shuzo’s enthusiasm “We’ve got a line of people standing outside waiting to see you pendulum summon again!” Shuzo flicked his hand towards the front door and sure enough there was a massive queue of people running outside the door, “How long have they been standing there for?” Yuri was attempting in vain to count the amount of people that were present “About fifteen minutes.” Yuri’s face fell “You do know I barely understand how I got the damn thing in the first place?” Shuzo’s face also fell as his brow furrowed “Will you attempt it at least?” Yuri looked at him in distain ready to say screw it before Yuzu intruded “Yuri just try and do it.” Yuri looked into Yuzu’s face, his expression softened as he grasped his hands around hers “Ok Yuzu I’ll try it.”

**(Fusion Dimension)**

“Do it again!” Shouted the Professor from his throne who was looking on disapprovingly as Yuya fell to the floor for the 100th time this day, a haggard Yuya struggled to his feet “Professor…” Yuya’s voice was strained “I’m not sure I can do this anymore…” Yuya held his limping arm beside his body looking towards the Professor he expected some show of sympathy, “You’ll continue until I’m satisfied!” Yuya felt his tear ducts swell, he once again wanted to rebel the fire was more fierce this time it took a severe beat down by his Academia half to quell an attempt at rebelling “Yes, Professor I’ll continue.” Yuya readied himself for attempt no.101 the Professor looked on in interest at the particular cards he used “With scale 1 Stargazer magician and scale 8 Timegazer magician I set the pendulum scale!” the rainbow coloured word Pendulum appeared on Yuya’s duel disk as the two magicians appeared either side of him, Yuya’s chant mirrored Yuri’s on every level _“Swing pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum summon!”_

“Appear Odd Eyes Pendulum Dragon!” Behind Yuya the dragon with dual coloured eyes let out a roar as Yuya turned around ecstatic that he had finally pendulum summoned, standing up from his throne the Professor walked over to Yuya, “Well done Yuya, this’ll prove very useful for future plans.” Yuya smiled genuinely for the first time in seven years “I finally did it! I finally did it!” Yuya could barely contain himself, “Yuya calm down.” Yuya’s smile faded and was replaced by a small smirk “Now let me take those cards,” Yuya deactivated his duel disk handing the cards in question over “The invasion of standard is coming we’ll need every tool possible at our disposal. Pendulum will prove very useful.”

**(Standard dimension) (Night)**

Yuri and Yuzu were walking out of You Show, it may have taken a lot of tries 279 to be exact but Yuri had finally managed to pendulum summon, the look of elation on everyone’s face as he did it was something to behold.

“So Yuri…” Yuzu could still feel the excitement radiating off of Yuri as they walked out of the duel school together “Did you finally figure out how to combo fusion and pendulum summoning I heard you talk about it to my dad earlier.” Yuri smile grew wider “You should learn not to eavesdrop Yuzu” Yuri shook his finger in Yuzu’s face “but for your information I might of thought of a few ideas but I’ll wait until my next duel to entertain you my strategies.” Yuzu shoved Yuri for his condescending attitude causing both to laugh and both to miss the person approaching from behind.

“Stop!” Came the voice of the man grabbing onto Yuri’s shoulder.

“Who the hell are you?!” Yuri was surprised by this unwarranted development.

“That’s not important but what is important is that you are Yuri correct?” The man cocked his head, his face barely visible.

“That would be correct.”

“Duel me and if you win I can give you any card you want.” This proposition peaked Yuri’s intrest “Any card you say?” Yuri raised an eyebrow at the seeming impossibility of this statement, “Correct but if I win I get your deck. Do we have a deal?” The man held out his hand in anticipation “I don’t know a card for a deck doesn’t seem like a fair deal.” the man jabbed his finger in Yuri’s face “Even for the card you most want in the world?” Yuri still uncertain of this deal pondered over his choices while Yuzu butted in.

“Come on Yuri, you don’t have to do this,” she shook Yuri’s arm resorting to attempting to drag the boy away, “the price is too high plus your mother is waiting for y-” Yuri didn’t seem to be listening as he made the declaration of his card choice while shaking the man’s hand “I want Ultra polymerization if I win.” What Yuri said and thought were two different things _“there is no way he has that card only the best of the best at Academia have that card.”_ It would be safe to say Yuri was definitely shocked when the man held up the card in question. “It’s a deal.”

**[Let’s Duel]**

Yuri: 4000    Unknown: 4000            Cards x5

“I’ll go first.” Yuri was quick to declare to get this over as soon as possible he had to come straight out of the blocks and that meant bringing out the big guns right away, “With scale 1 Predaplant Moray Nepenthes and Scale 8 Predaplant Fly Trap I set the pendulum scale,” The brightly coloured word pendulum appeared on Yuri’s disk as the two carnivorous plants appeared either side of him, “with this I can summon monsters level 2 through 7 simultaneously! Swing pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum summon!”

“Appear Starve Venemy Dragon!” _Level 7 (2500/200) SC: 1_

“I need to start strong I set one card face down and end my turn, your move!”

Cards x1

“I draw, I special summon Swap Frog by discarding Dupe Frog from my hand,” A golden frog with red horns and markings all over its body appeared onto the field, “his second effect sends Ronintoadin from my deck to the graveyard, his last effects sends him back to my hand.”

“Why would you do that?” A perplexed Yuzu said still annoyed Yuri didn’t listen to her.

“You’ll see now,” the man was laughing manically “I special summon back Swap Frog by sending another Swap frog from my hand and sending another Ronintoadin to the grave, now I remove Dupe Frog and Swap frog from my grave to special summon back the two Ronintoadin I sent to the grave earlier.” The two country frogs with red and black markings appeared, “Since I control 3 monsters I tribute them all to summon SLIFER THE SKY DRAGON!” the twin mouthed dragon flapped his wings dramatically as it let out a deafening roar. _Slifer the sky dragon level 10 (X000/X000)_.

Yuri and Yuzu both stood back in shock, they thought this card was just a legend.

“In case you don’t know Slifer gains 1000 Atk for every card in my hand I hold 2 meaning he has 2000 Atk points.”

“That’s a nice monster but it still has less attack then Starve Venemy.”

“Astute observation Yuri but you’ll soon see how wrong you are I set my last two cards face down your move.”

Slifer Atk (2000 – 0)

“I draw.” Yuri thought into himself _“It’s obvious he is going to manipulate the monsters attack via his facedown cards but I don’t think it’ll get over Venemy.”_

“I play Predaplant Recycling, I send Predaplant Cordyceps from my hand to the graveyard to draw two cards.”

“I chain Appropriate so now every time you draw outside the draw phase I can draw two cards!”

Slifer Atk (0 – 2000)

“I activate Starve Venemy’s effect targeting one monster on your field it has its effects negated, loses 500 attack points and you lose 500 lif-” Yuri was distracted by an error message flashing on his duel disk, “What’s happening,” he snarled “why isn’t the effect working.” The man laughed as he held his head “Slifer can’t be target by card effects, so you can’t negate his effects.” Yuri clenched his fist, “No matter Starve Venemy attack Slifer!”

“So you attack, I activate Reckless Greed allowing me to draw two cards at the cost of not drawing for the next 2 turns.”

Slifer Atk (2000 – 4000)

“Now Slifer’s Atk is higher! Slifer attack back!”

Yuri (4000 – 2500)

Yuri grunted as he began his next move “I set one monster face down and another card, your move.”

“I draw, I play salvage bringing two Ronintoadin back to my hand then I activate Shield crush destroying your face down monster”

“It was Cephalotus Snail.”

“Slifer attack directly and end this, your deck is mine!”

“I activate a trap Predaplant Reborn bringing back the Cephalotus snail you destroyed earlier in defence mode.”

“Humph…I end my turn.”

“I draw, I summon Predaplant Lilylizard.”

“Hahahahah, didn’t you know when you summon a monster in attack position with less than 2000 attack points Slifer automatically destroys it!”

  Slifer’s second mouth let out a blast of lightning destroying the plant.

Yuri sighed “Your move.”

“I can’t draw because of reckless greed but that doesn’t mean anything I activate card destruction sending my hand to the graveyard to draw 3 new ones, I summon Treeborn frog,” _Level 1 100/100_ “Next I discard a card to summon Fishborg Blaster back from the grave, I tune level 1 Treeborn frog with level 1 Fishborg Blaster to synchro summon Puralis, the Purple Pyrotile” _Level 2 Synchro/Tuner (800/1400)_

“You can synchro summon as well?!” Yuzu was now convinced that Yuri would lose, he on the other hand looked quite pleased with the situation.

“I play Double summon allowing me to summon Oyster meister,” _Level 3 (1600/200)_ “I tune Puralis and Oyster meister into the level 5 synchro monster Servant of the sky Dragon!” _Level 5 (2100/2000)_ “Servant’s effect activates it gains attack points equal to the difference in our life points.”  

Servant attack (2100 – 3600)

Yuri clapped his hands grinning mockingly much to the surprise of the man and Yuzu, “That’s another nice monster but you do realise that you’ve used all of the cards in your hand which means that he now has no attack points.”

Slifer attack (4000 – 0)

“No!” The man held his head in disbelief before returning to normal “No matter Servant attack Yuri directly, you can’t escape this time!”

“That’s where you are wrong I activate Moray Nepenthes’ pendulum effect activates the attacking monster gains a predator counter and its effect is negated.”

Servant’s Attack (3600 – 2100)

Yuri (2500 – 400)

“Your turn…”

“I draw, I activate Ivy bind castle, this card negates the effect of every monster on your field and prevents them from ever being able to attack.”

“AH! NO!” The man devolved into insane babbling.

“I activate the effect of Cordyceps from the graveyard summoning back Lilylizard and Cephalouts snail, Lilylizard effects allows me to draw 1 card which I now activate.” Yuri flipped the drawn card around much to the dismay of the man and the delight of Yuzu, “using polymerization I fuse together my two Predaplants together! I fusion summon! Level 8! Starving Venom Fusion Dragon!” _Level 8 (2800/2000)_

“Its effect triggers since it was fusion summoned it gains the attack of one special summoned monster on your field since you control only one it gains the attack of your servant!”

Venom Attack (2800 – 4900)

“This is the true end! Starving Venom attack Slifer!”

“No way!”

Unknown (4000 – 0)

**_Yuri: Win!_ **

“Phew…” Yuri wiped the sweat from his forehead, “That was close.” Yuri noticed that the man had passed out on the ground the card Yuri wanted was lying on top of his body.

“Yuri!” Yuri turned after picking up the card to see Yuzu running towards him fan and all “Don’t EVER do that again you dolt!” Yuri’s face was completely red by the time Yuzu was finished beating him “Yuzu-u-u you’re going to kill someone one day” Yuzu just got worse “You risked your DECK for a SINGLE card!” Yuri continued to speak in between thwacks “But it was a powerful one at that only a few people ever owned that card, now one of them is me.” Yuzu relented to let Yuri explain himself further “First this card’s activation cannot be negated and second you can banish the card to target the fusion monster that was summoned and bring back the monsters used to summon said monster.” Yuzu watched as Yuri gazed at the card in wonder “Just imagine the possibilities! The synergy!” Yuzu sighed knowing full well what Yuri was thinking about earning him another whack “Yuri don’t you dare do what I’m thinking!” Yuri rubbed his face “I won’t! I won’t! Jesus! I’m going to report you for assault soon!”

“Says the guy who constantly gives people rashes and poisons them with his plants.”  

Yuri was deeply offended “I’m sorry but those people only get what they deserve plus it’s not my fault they ‘accidently’ fall into poison ivy or ‘accidently’ get their hands stuck in my Fly Traps.”

The air quotes on the word accidently was the dead giveaway to Yuzu on how Yuri knew full well what he was doing, “You can be a real evil bastard at times Yuri.”

“Old habits die hard Yuzu…Old habits die hard.” With that Yuri left returning to his house.

Waiting on him at the door was Yoko.

“Yuri where have you been you were supposed to be here over 30 minutes ago.” Yuri’s eyes widened “Sorry mother I was busy attending to some business at the Duel School nothing less nothing more.”

For the third time today Yuri was beat “Do you seriously expect me to believe that rubbish? What do you take me for an idiot?”

“How did you know?”

“It quite often doesn’t take a genius to know when you are lying” Yoko jabbed her finger into Yuri’s face “I can see the mischief in your eyes don’t lie straight to my face again or you’ll be sorry.” Yuri trembled “Y-Y-Yes mother…”

**(Fusion Dimension)**

“It’s nearly time.” Yuya lay on his bed and opened out his arms “The day will finally come I’ll return to the standard dimension and this time it’ll be even easier than the XYZ dimension because now We’ve got pendulum on our side.” There was a knock on Yuya’s door “Come in.” He looked up from his bed to see a small boy with Cyan hair tied into a ponytail standing in the door way “What do you want Sora?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: Chapter four done. This was easier to write but I still stopped and started about 3 times.   
> I hope you enjoyed the Slifer cameo, the other two gods will appear much later on in the story.   
> I decided to make Yuri and Yuya’s pendulum summoning chant the same for two reasons, one I can’t be assed to make a new one for Yuri and second because all of the counterparts end up using a certain summoning method like their counterparts (i.e. how the bracelet girls fusion summon) I decided to make it that why.  
>  I’ll be returning to work next week so uploads will be moved to probably once every week or two weeks, here are the notes and now the new cards as well.  
> Notes:  
> [1]To be honest I couldn’t be assed naming it different.  
> [2] I’m not sure myself what 8th grade translates to in my school system so take that with a pinch of salt interchange it if you want.   
> New cards:  
> Predaplant Recycling: Send one Predaplant monster from your hand to the grave to draw 2 cards. In all reality it was just made so the Slifer user could chain appropriate.


	5. Yuya's new deck

“What do you want Sora?” Yuya was not at all pleased to see the obelisk blue student grinning in his doorway.

“I’m going to be sent to standard as top of my class,” Sora slipped a lollipop into his mouth “rumour says that some Xyz scum escaped to that dimension.”

Yuya shot Sora a dirty look “So you came to rub that in my face?” Yuya stood up walking slowly towards Sora staring him down as he placed a hand on the doorway, “Don’t forget who’s above you in the food chain.” Yuya pointed Sora in the direction of his duel disk which was lay on his half made bed “I can card you whenever I want.” Yuya then took three cards out of his pocket, each one was of an obelisk force member all of them wore expressions of fear and terror, Yuya laughed as he spoke “You won’t believe how easy it was,” Yuya threw his arms out “They are completely worthless!” Yuya then tore each card in half with a horrified Sora looking on as Yuya laughed maniacally “Hey SORA!” Yuya looked down to the trembling boy in his door way “You said that you’re going to standard! Top of the class no less!” Yuya picked up his duel disk “Do you want to test yourself?!” Sora realised how much of a mistake he made quickly bolted when Yuya distracted himself searching for his deck.  “Oh you’re gone” Yuya was still grinning madly “That’s a shame,” Yuya let his grin drop returning to his bed, “It was fun watching those two at each other’s throats…” Yuya looked at the cloak on the other end of his bed.

**(Xyz Dimension) A few hours ago**

“I’ve got to find him,” Yugo continued to search in vain for Rin desperately hoping to find her or her kidnapper, “once I get my hand on this bastard I’ll give him a beating he’ll never forget!” Yugo rode across the rooftops of the destroyed city.

Meanwhile on the grounds of the ruined heartland, Yuto was too searching in vain for someone he loved “RURI!” Yuto frantically ran about looking everywhere for his girlfriend [1]. His thoughts then turned to the kidnapper that shared his face “I’ll get my hands on him even if I have to destroy all of Academia to get her back!”

From the shadows in alleyway Yuya stood silently watching on with glee as the two that shared his face unknowingly approached each other.

“YOU!” Yuya’s ears perked up as he poked his head out of the alley way to see the two come face to face. Yuto continued to shout towards Yugo who was also shouting back “Are you with Academia?!” Yugo continued to confuse Yuto for Yuya “It’s YOU!” Yugo eyes briefly flashed teal while Yuto’s briefly flashed dark blue [2]. “Tell me where Ruri is!” Yugo’s face contorted “HUH!” Yugo turned his D-wheel off the building readying his disk while Yuto threw out his in protection. A smoke cloud engulfed the area as the duel began.

“I’ll go first!” Yuto was determined to destroy Yugo “I set three cards face down and end my turn come at me paw of Fusion!”  

“It’s Yugo not Fusion, first you steal Rin then you get my name wrong!” Yugo pounded his fist on his D-wheel as he began his turn with an incurable ire “Since I don’t control a monster I can special summon Speedroid Terrortop and with its effect I add Speedroid Taketomborg which I now summon using its effect, I’ll use my normal summon on the tuner Speedroid Red-eyed Dice.”

“Tuner?!” Yuto exclaimed in shock while Yuya was struggling to hold his composure.

“I tune my level 3 Terrortop and Taketomborg with my level 1 Red Eye Dice to synchro summon Clear Wing Synchro Dragon!”

At this point a pain flashed through the three boys, Yugo winced as he declared his attack, “Clear Wing attack that bastard directly and make him pay!” Yuto held his chest as sweat poured down him “I activate two copies of the Phantom Knight of Wrong Magnet Ring, these cards negate your monster’s attack then special summon themselves as level 2 monsters in attack mode!” Magnet Rings (0/0) Level 2

“Trap cards as monsters?! You really are a bastard! I end my turn!” Yugo growled irate with anger and hatred.

 “My turn! I overlay my two Magnet Rings to build the overlay network! I XYZ Summon! The Phantom Knights of Cursed Javelin!” _Phantom Knights of Cursed Javelin Rank 2 (1600/0) OLU: 2._

“XYZ Summon! Just where am I?”

“I now activate Cursed Javelin’s effect your monster’s effect is negated and its attack drops to Zero!”

Clear Wing’s Attack (2500 – 0)

“I activate the spell Rank-up the Phantom Knights of Tomb Spear! This card ranks up my Phantom knight’s monster into a Xyz monster two ranks higher! I rebuild the overlay network! Rank-up XYZ change! Formed from pitch black darkness, to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs! Descend now! Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon!” The purple scaled metallic dragon roar resonated with clear wings as the two dragons faced each other down.

The pain in the three boys heighted as Yuto and Yugo keeled over in pain, Yuya fell back to the alley wall as the pain surged through him his mind became swallowed in darkness.

**“Become one…”** Yuto cried in tune with the other two as the three approached each other. **“Destroy all…”** Yuya emerged from the alley way eyes a soul sucking crimson walking closer to Yuto and Yugo.

“Yuto!” A voice crowed as the owner ran closer revealing it to be Shun running with another resistance member, “Watch out for that fusion scum” Shun took note of Yuya’s disk while speaking.

Yuto, Yuya and Yugo continued to journey towards each other speaking together in perfect synchronization as Shun activated his disk.

“Raidraptor Rise Falcon! Spilt them apart! Ravaging Rebellion!” The metallic falcon flew in blazing the three apart allowing them to come to their senses, Yugo and Yuya quickly depart for their respective reasons while Yuto lay on the ground passed out from the pain.

“Yuto! Yuto!” Shun quickly tended to his best friend treating him for any wounds while trying to awaken him “Yuto can you hear me!” Shun shouted into both of Yuto’s ears desperate to awaken him. Yuto’s eyes flickered open briefly as he managed to etch out a small sentence “I found him…” Yuto’s eyes shut again.

**(Fusion Dimension) Present time**

“I haven’t felt a rush like that in years!” Yuya grabbed his chest in the area he felt the pain and even though it was gone he still felt a burning desire which couldn’t be satisfied by carding. Yuya looked to the cards containing the obelisk force troops he tore earlier, it wasn’t enough…It wasn’t nearly enough they went down too quickly, too easy so when Sora appeared he couldn’t help but want to card him. Yet the was another side to this desire the one who want to entertain his opponents and those around him not just for his own sadistic entertainment but for a genuine entertainment which his father taught him seven years ago.

Inside his mindscape two sides of him stood, one of as he was now and one of what he was previously. They appeared to be embroiled in an argument.

_“Stop that incessant snivelling you pest!”_ The current him appeared to be larger and in general control of the situation compared to the smaller him who couldn’t get a word in edge ways. _“We don’t follow that stupid feeble philosophy anymore! We don’t need it!”_ The larger part started to scream at the top of his lungs.

The smaller him finally spoke up _“But we kept the Performapal deck! The one our father used! It shows we still want to entertain for good reasons!”_

The Academia him screamed holding his head _“We don’t need it! We don’t need it!”_

_“You’re rejecting everything we stand for!”_

Academia Yuya stopped screaming before letting out a chilling laugh causing his standard Yuya to cower, _“What we stand for! What we stand for! I’ll tell you what we stand for!”_ The Academia Yuya became larger while Standard Yuya became smaller _“We stand for Strength! We stand for carding! We will eventually stand alone in the world!”_ The finally line caused his Standard incarnation to dissipate much to his Fusion incarnation’s satisfaction, _“Finally the pest is gone hopefully forever…”_

 “Yuya!” A voice from his doorway jolted Yuya from his thoughts, “You’re being called by the professor, your cards are ready.”

“Thank you sir…” Yuya left swaying from side to side as he made his way towards the throne room.

**(Throne room)**

“Yuya you’ve arrived.” The professor appeared to be holding a complete main deck of 40 cards and a complete extra deck of 15 cards.

“What are the cards for?” Yuya pointed limply to the cards the professor was holding.

“Using your pendulum cards I’ve managed to create a new deck, one focused solely on fusion and pendulum summoning made especially for you Yuya.”

Yuya pointed to himself shocked while in his mind his fusion incarnation was ecstatic while a small fragment of his standard self was in unending sorrow, “For me?” The professor handed Yuya the deck looking through it he saw the archetype name “Metalfoes…” Yuya looked through the extra deck carefully examining each card. “This is…This is…” Yuya let his façade of shock drop as a wide smile spread across his face “Great!” Yuya took out the Performapal deck which had been with him since he left standard and save for a few special cards threw the entire deck across the floor, “Finally I can sever my last ties to that pitiful dimension.” Yuya’s grin got even wider “Now there is nothing standing in my way! My mind is clear! I’ll fight until the dimensions are one again!”

The professor looked on as Yuya barely contained his excitement which only go harder to stifle as a new declaration was made “Yuya I want you to practice with this deck before I send you on your next mission so I’ve arranged for you to duel against a certain someone that failed me.”

The professor then dragged the man who had dueled and lost against Yuri the other day in front of Yuya.

“Oh it’s you,” Yuya looked at the person with disgust as the man began to cower “What did you fail at this time Yali?”

Yali continued to cower his eyes swelling with tears, his long grey hair was flopped over hiding the his face as he shouted in desperation “Please don’t make me do this!” He turned and looked into the Professor’s hardened gaze “I’ll promise I won’t fail you again!” Yali pointed his arm shaking “Just don’t make me duel that monster!” Yuya couldn’t help but smile, this would be enough for the time being maybe he’ll satisfy his hunger.

“Yali…” Yuya shoved his face into Yali’s grinning maliciously “I’ll show you what happens when you fail the professor!” Yuya’s disk shout out a duel anchor constricting Yali’s movement as he relented activating his along with Yuya’s.

**[Let’s Duel]**

Yuya: 4000    Yali: 4000     Cards x5

“Since you’re defending your right to live I’ll let you go first Yali.”

“I’ll make sure to defeat you! I activate the field spell Scrap factory!” The throne room transformed into a factory with a machine crushing monsters and a smelting pot right behind where Yali stood.

“Scrap?” Yuya asked mockingly “No surprise a piece of junk like you would use that worthless excuse for a deck.”

“I’ll show you the power of it! I set one monster face down and set another card to my backrow it’s your turn!”

“Now for the first draw from my new deck! Now let’s see here um…” Yuya looked carefully through his hand while Yali narrowed his eyes “You don’t even know your own deck and you have the nerve to criticize mine!” Yali threw up his hair fully showing his irate expression while Yuya laughed madly “You were always quick to anger Yali explains why you’re a second rate duelist.”

Yali’s anger only got worse “ME! SECOND RATE! I’ll show you true pain!”

Yuya wagged his finger condescendingly “Now now Yali it’s still my turn you can take your anger out me next turn, speaking of which using Scale 1 Metalfoes Goldriver and Scale 8 Metalfoes Volflame I set the pendulum scale!” The two monster appeared either side of Yuya much to Yali’s shock “Not AGAIN!” Yali seemed to be traumatized by his experience with Yuri’s pendulum summon. “I activate Goldriver’s pendulum effect I destroy Volflame in my other pendulum zone to set one ‘Metalfoes’ spell or trap from my deck I’ll set Metalfoes Fusion.” The card revealed itself before setting itself in front of Yuya “I now place Scale 8 Metalfoes Steelen in the pendulum scale.” Yali took a closer look at Yuya’s face soon realising his resemblance to Yuri “Now I can summon monsters level 2 through 7 all at the same time! Swing pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum summon!”

 “From my hand Metalfoes Silverd and Raremetalfose Bismugar and from the extra deck Metalfoes Volflame!” _Metalfoes Silverd level 3 (1700/100), Metalfoes Volflame Level 7 (2400/2000), Raremetalfose Bismugar Level 1 (0/0)_

“Wait you destroyed Volflame earlier how in the hell did you summon it back!”

“Once I destroyed it I noticed a flashing in my extra deck and discovered that upon destruction Pendulum monster go to the extra deck so I can summon them back again and again as long as I have a pendulum scale!”

“Adept observation Yuya.” The professor said from the background “Now try a fusion summon!”

“As you wish Professor! I activate the spell Metalfoes Fusion and using it I fuse Metalfoes Sliverd, Volflame and Bismugar!” A swirling red and blue vortex absorbed the three monsters as Yuya chanted “I bring forth a monster that will drown you in the abyss! Fusion summon! Level 9! Metalfoes Crimsonite!” _Metalfoes Crimsonite Level 9 (3000/3000)_

“Battle! Crimsonite attack the face down monster!” Crimsonite launched itself at the facedown monster which was revealed to be a small metal goblin. “My face down was Scrap goblin and it can’t be destroyed by battle.” _Scrap Goblin Level 3 (0/500)_

“Just like you to hide behind junk you’ve been doing it for the past seven years why stop now!”

“Yuya when I first met you seven years ago I couldn’t have seen it coming to this,” Yali closed his eyes reliving his memories of him and Yuya when they were younger before returning to the duel, “I will defeat you!” Yuya smirked “I’d like to see you try Yali I end my turn.”

Cards x1

“At your turns end I activate my face down the quick play spell Scrapstorm, this card destroys Scrap goblin, sends Scrap chimera from my deck to the graveyard and allows me to draw a card, Scrap factory’s effect activates since a scrap monster was destroyed by a card effect I summon Scrap Golem from my deck,” _Scrap Golem Level 5 (2300/1400)_ “I activate the effect of Scrap Goblin in my graveyard adding Scrap chimera to my hand.”

“I have to say impressed you did that during my turns end phase Yali but it still isn’t enough to get past Crimsonite.”

“You’ll see I’ll beat now, I summon Scrap chimera!” The metallic lion let a roar staring down Crimsonite with red glowing eyes _Scrap Chimera level 4 (1700/500)_ “Chimera’s effect he summons a ‘Scrap’ monster from my graveyard so Scrap goblin comes back from the graveyard, since I control a Scrap monster I can special summon the tuner monster Scrap Orthros at the cost of destroying another scrap monster on my field I destroy Scrap goblin!” In the place of Scrap Goblin a metallic two headed dog one head with green eyes and one with purple appeared _Scrap Orthros Level 4 (1700/1100)_ “Scrap golem’s effect activates I summon Scrap goblin back.”

“Now what will you do Yali?” Yuya grinned from ear to ear.

“I tune my Level 4 Scrap chimera with my Level 4 Scrap Orthros! I synchro summon! Scrap Dragon!” _Level 8 (2800/2000)._

“Synchro! EH! Why you refuse to fusion summon is beyond me Yali!”

“Unlike you I don’t disrespect my past! Scrap Dragon’s effect I destroy one card on both of our fields! I destroy your Crimsonite and my Golem! Now Scrap Dragon attack directly bury Yuya with Scrap Torrent!”

Yuya (4000 – 1200)

“I set two cards face down and end my turn, your move Yuya!”

Cards x3

“I’ll crush you this turn Yali! Like I have done many times before! I activate the effect of Metalfoes Fusion from my graveyard I shuffle it back into the deck and draw one card,” Yuya drew his card letting out a small laugh “Look what I drew Yali!” Yuya turned the card around to show Odd-Eyes in his hand, “ODD-EYES!” Yali screamed bringing back more recent and painful memories “I now pendulum summon again! Revive from the extra deck Metalfoes Volflame, Silverd and Bismugar and from my hand Odd-Eyes Pendulum Dragon!” _Level 7 (2500/2000)_ “I now activate Steelen’s pendulum effect destroying Goldriver to reset Metal foes fusion, which I now activate fusing the three Metalfoes back into Crimsonite!”

“Now Yali prepare yourself! Crimsonite attack Scrap Dragon get rid of that worthless excuse for an ace monster!” Crimsonite’s attack shattered the Dragon with the scrap falling into the smelting pot before it faded away.

Yali (4000 – 3800)

“Odd eyes attack Yali Directly! Spiral Flame Strike!”

“I activate my Trap Scrap-Iron Scarecrow! This card negates your monsters attack once every turn so my life points are safe!”

“Clinging to scrap again…” Yuya growled as he set his last card facedown, “Your turn.” He snarled.

“I draw, I activate the trap Scrap Rebirth at the cost of half my life points I revive Scrap Dragon from my graveyard!” The Dragon’s pieces came out on the conveyor one by one until the entire dragon revived.

Yali (3800 – 1900)

“Scrap Dragon’s effect I destroy Scrap Factory to destroy Crimsonite again!”

“You’re wasting your own time here”

“SCARP DRAGON ATTACK ODD EYES! SCRAP TORRENT!”

“I activate my trap Metalfoes Strike I banish Crimsonite In my graveyard to give its attack points to my Odd Eyes until the end of the turn!”

Odd Eyes Attack (2500 – 5500)

“Odd Eyes drown Yali in the abyss! Spiral flame strike,” The attack hit Scrap Dragon incinerating the monster again “Remember when Odd Eyes attacks a level 5 or higher monster damage is doubled! Reaction Force!”

Yali (1900 – 0)

Yuya: WIN!

Yali lay on the ground, he was unable to move due to the pain Yuya was able to inflict with Odd Eyes’ attack. “You always beat me Yuya.” Yali etched out coughing up trace amounts of blood. Yuya walked over to Yali and lay his hand on his shoulder “That was the most fun I’ve had in a while Yali…” Yuya felt an urge to card him for his weakness but was unable to do it “You never cease to entertain me let’s go back together like old times.” Yuya swept Yali up onto his shoulder as the two walked out of the room together.

**(Standard Dimension)**

Yuri and Yuzu sat underneath a tree in the school talking to each other about what had happened over the previous days

“I don’t care that you beat that guy Yuri, it was still a stupid decision to risk your deck for a polymerization card.” Yuzu was still miffed at the day before.

“Will you quit it already,” Yuri scoffed “the thing is what’s done is done and you can’t change that.”

“It amazes me that you’ve been here for seven years and yet you still haven’t taught me about Fusion summoning.”

Yuri’s face dropped “That’s right…Still you never asked me.”

“Actually I did. Several times as a matter of fact which you waved off with ‘I’ll wait to see when you need it’.”

“Well it sounds like something I would say” Yuri placed a finger on his lips before grabbing Yuzu’s arm “I’ll teach you the basics now what do you think of that?”

“You mean it Yuri?” Yuzu said excitement in her voice.

“It’ll be helpful for the Maiami cham…” Yuri’s words trailed off as Yuzu looked at him with wonder as the realisation hit him like a steam train “AHH! I forgot!” Yuri held his head in disbelief “I’m not qualified yet!”

Yuzu was surprised to see the usually calm and calculating Yuri in a situation like this, Yuri quickly ran out of the school yuzu following behind him before the bumped into three familiar kids.

“What’s wrong Yuri?” asked a small girl with red hair as she tugged at his blazer.

“Did you forget something?” a fat green haired boy asked while a blue haired boy stood silently and watched.

“I forgot to qualify for the Maiami Championship, my win rate isn’t good enough” Yuri let his head drop.

“What’s your number of wins and matches Yuri?” the blue hair boy spoke causing Yuri to raise his head.

“26 wins and 46 matches played.”

The boy thought for a second calculating Yuri’s win percentage “That’s a percentage of 56.5 you need 60 to get accepted.”

“You don’t think I know that!” Yuri snapped shocking the kids “I’m sorry Tatsuya this whole thing has put me on edge.” Yuri swept his hair back sighing.

“You just need four more wins than you can qualify.” Tatsuya stated to Yuri’s elation as he counted the number of duelist around him “One, two, three, and four.” Yuri let loose a devilish grin causing Yuzu to smack him with her fan and the three kids to turn away in disgust.

“NO WAY YURI!” the four collectively shouted.

“Why not.” Yuri said rubbing his face seriously considering putting Yuzu in jail for assault.

“One,” Tatsuya began to explain “the tree of us aren’t in your age bracket.” He said pointed to each of them individually.

“Two you’re far better than me Yuri so there is no way I’ll duel you.” Yuzu explained just as three darts hit Yuri square in the face.

“Which bastard threw those?!” Yuri became furious.

“That bastard would be me I’m Shingo Sawatari.”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> {1 and 2} I don’t care so you’re going to have to deal with it if I am wrong.


	6. Yuri vs Sawatari

**(Standard Dimension)**

“Care to explain why I have three darts stuck to my head.” Yuri wasn’t best pleased at the current situation as Sawatari approached him with a coy smirk.

“My apologies but I needed to gain your attention.” Sawatari plucked the darts off Yuri’s forehead as he continued “You’d be Yuri right?”

“Depends.” Yuri looked disinterested “Last time I answered that question I ended up dueling someone who had a god card.”

Sawatari deadpanned “Is that a yes or a no?”

“Yes I’m Yuri, why do you want me?”

“Well…I was watching you match Strong Ishijima the other day and I was just in awe at your performance it was very magnificent if I do say so myself an-”

“Cut to the chase, I can tell your trying to flatter me to make me more vulnerable for things you may have planned in the future.” Yuri gazed at Sawatari as his static in his brain was obvious, “Did I hit the nail on the head?”

Sawatari flapped his arms quickly to try and dispel Yuri’s suspicions “No no no I was just wanting to see if you would come with me to LDS.”

“Why would that be?”

“Well before you so rudely interrupted the ace of LDS I wanted to see the cards you used to perform whatever that new summoning method is called.”

“Two things.” Yuri thumbed his nose at Sawatari as he began to turn and slowly walk away “One, if you have to call yourself the ace of your school you are clearly insecure about your skills.”

“Why you…” Sawatari grumbled clenching his fist.

“Two.” Yuri brandished two cards over his shoulder, Cephalouts snail and Squid Drosera taking care to obscure their scales, Sawatari leaned in to get a look at the cards “It’s called Pendulum and these are Pendulum cards which you need to have in order to summon with them.” Yuri scoffed as he continued to walk away much to Sawatari’s ire, “If you don’t mind I need to leave I have business with my plants to get to.”

“You really are a coward just like your father before you.” Sawatari said causing Yuri to snap to attention and turn his head, Yuzu and the kids began to sweat knowing Yuri to not be _pleasant_ when angered.

Yuri walked back up and stood directly over Sawatari causing him to shrink in his shoes “Say that again…” Yuri grinned madly “Go on! I dare you!” Sawatari noticed that Yuri was still holding the pendulum cards in his hand and taking his opportunity he swiped the cards running off quickly.

“Get back here you coward!” Yuri screamed.

“If you want your cards back come met me at LDS central court at 4PM don’t be late!” Sawatari panted heavily clearly not use to running that fast.

Yuri stood silently, Yuzu began to approach Yuri cautiously “Yuri…I k-” Yuzu was cut off by the sound of a small laugh coming from Yuri.

“Ha…ha” before it suddenly became a fit “HAHAHAHAHAHAHHAHAHHA” Yuri keeled over holding his stomach “HAHA the FOOL!” Yuzu was confused by Yuri’s perplexing behaviour “I can’t believe he fell for it!”

“Yuri what did you do? If I recall he just stole two of your pendulum cards!” Yuzu was ready to hit Yuri but Yuri manged to hold his laughter in for enough time to explain himself.

“You’re right he did steal my cards but I never told him about how the pendulum scale works and he never bothered to look at the cards properly.” Was all Yuri could get out before returning to laughing. Yuzu thought carefully as the realisation hit her “Yuri you gave him cards that wouldn’t work didn’t you?” Yuri nodded “Things are going exactly as planned.”

  **(LDS Central Duel Court) 4PM**

Yuri, Yuzu and the kids arrived at the court to see Sawatari there and gloating with his friends about how he ‘stole’ Yuri’s pendulum cards.

“…He was quaking in his boots once I told him I was the ace of the school so much so he immediately kow-towed…”

Unbeknownst to him Yuri was right behind him “Ah…Sawatari-san.” One of his three stooges limply pointed his arm towards Yuri, “What is it?” Sawatari asked annoyed he was being interrupted, “Behind you…” Another stooge said.

Sawatari turned around to meet the shock of his life as Yuri’s face was millimetres away from him.

“AHH! How did you do that?!”

“Do you remember a person called Sky?”

“You mean that creep who’s probably going to murder someone one day! Yes why?!”

“Turns out he knows how not to be seen when approaching someone. So he taught me how to.”

“Oh…”

“Now back to the task at hand I believe you have cards that belong to me.”

“So you’ve accepted my challenge to win your cards back well it’s on! But I warn you, you’ve got no chance against me!”

“If you want to stop stroking your ego so we can duel I would appreciate it.”

“Alright then! Action field Prison Tower of Drakville.” The prison field shot up around Yuri and Sawatari while also taking up and chaining Yuzu and the kids much to their shock and fear.

“Yuri!” the four collectively screamed.

“Ok what’s going here why are my friends being chained up like prisoners.” Yuri said as he activated his disk, the purple sword-like blade appearing causing the president in the Leo corp to raise an eyebrow.

“Sir! Do you think we should stop this duel before it goes ahead we don’t really know what this boy is capable of h-.” The president interrupted his assistant by raising his hand slightly to signal him to stop, “It’s of no concern at this point at time, I merely want to see how this Yuri character acts while dueling, Nakajima.” The assistant bowed and slowly oved away as the president was left alone with his thoughts. _Let’s see why this boy was important to ‘Revival Zero’._  

“Your friends are my prisoners until this duel is over.” Sawatari gloated while activating his disk as his lackeys started the action duel chant.

“Duelists locked in battle!”

“Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!”

“They storm through this field! Behold!”

“This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! ACTION…DUEL!

Sawatari: 4000 LP       Yuri: 4000 LP

“I’ll go first.” Yuri declared inwardly laughing at how Sawatari still hadn’t noticed he’d been fooled, “I summon Predaplant Moray Nepenthes.” The twin headed carnivorous plant appeared latching onto Yuri’s arm as some form of whip. “I then set one card face down and end my turn.” Yuri left swinging from the bridge in search of an action card.

“I draw.” Sawatari surveyed his hand noticing one of Yuri’s pendulum cards in his hand “I summon Lighting Hoverboard.” The small skull like Hoverboard appeared as Sawatari jumped on it to catch up to Yuri _Lightning Hoverboard Level 4 (1400/1200)._ “Lighting Hoverboard attack that disgusting plant!” Yuri landed on the bridge picking up an action card but what he picked up was to his dissatisfaction “Oh you picked up an Action trap Break shot it lowers your monster’s attack by 900 points.”

Nepenthes attack (1600 – 700)

Lightning Hoverboard continued on and shattered the weakened plant.

Yuri (4000 – 3300)

“I end my turn” Sawatari began to gloat again “Next turn I’ll show you my full power!” a voice rang in his ear _“Stop gloating and make sure you get that last pendulum card into your hand!”_

“I draw, I activate the spell card Polymerization fusing together my Predaplant Flytrap and my Predaplant Lilylizard!” Sawatari’s eyes widened as too did a blue haired boy who was carefully observing the match. “I fusion summon!” the president looked on as the summoning sensors went haywire “Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!” The venomous dragon Sprouted from the ground causing both the bridge and the tower Yuzu and the kids were trapped in to shake causing the fat boy to briefly fall.

“Futoshi!” Yuzu screamed quickly grabbing on to his wrist while the other two kids helped Yuzu to return him to solid ground, “Yuri!” Yuzu screamed as she hoped to catch the violet haired boy’s attention as he took flight on Starve Venom, “You’re an idiot!” Yuri turned his head to look at Yuzu almost staring directly into her soul “Sometimes Yuzu my dear I just can’t help but feel a rush of excitement as I summon it,” Yuri returned to the bridge as he continued to explain “I guess it’s like I’m destined to own it.”

Sora stood with his mouth gaping open, the lollipop in his mouth almost falling out as someone approached him from behind, “It’s shocking isn’t it Sora.” Sora knew that voice all too well as the only other student apart from Yuya that could beat him, he turned around to see a boy of 14 with long grey hair that was tied into a low ponytail resting on his left shoulder, he wore a blue shirt that appeared to be slightly torn on the right shoulder, a small red crystal earing in his left ear, a pair of black jeans secured by a grey belt, matt black boots with enough polish on them to let Sora see his reflection, he had his duel disk on his right arm and was carrying a black notebook in his left hand . Sora couldn’t believe his eyes “Y-Yali?!” Yali quickly latched on to Sora’s train of thought “You didn’t think the Professor would let you go without supervision did you?” Yali stifled a laugh as Sora returned to watching the match “Hmmm.” Yali opened his notebook, took a pen out of his pocket and began to scribble something down before dramatically closing the notebook “That Yuri character looks like some we know doesn’t he Sora?” Yali’s brown eyes met Sora’s green as Sora placed a thumb on lips before coming slowly to the same realisation Yali did “You’re right Yali…He does look an awful lot like Yuya.” Yali’s head dropped momentarily as he mumbled “He’s not the only one that bears resemblance…” Yali’s thoughts turned to a certain blond and blue haired boy from his past. “Anyway Sora I’m guessing you were shocked just like me when Yuri activated polymerization.” From the way Yali spat out polymerization Sora could tell that he was bitter “You’ve dueled him before haven’t you Yali?” Yali nodded “I won’t tell what card I lost to him but I can tell you he isn’t from around here that’s for sure.” Sora obliged with Yali’s wishes and both continued to watch as Yuri began his move.

“Starve Venom attack Lighting Hoverboard!” The dragon’s vines tore lightning Hoverboard from underneath Sawatari’s feet causing him to fall right in front of the poisonous dragon as his life points fell.

Sawatari LP (4000 – 2600)

“Your move Mr ‘ace’.” Yuri stared downwards to see a trembling Sawatari draw his card. _“Good now use it very wisely if you don’t do this correctly you won’t get another turn!”_ Sawatari’s ego had been steamrolled by Yuri’s frightening dragon but the president instructed him in his next move to make sure it was perfect. “I activate Monster reborn to bring back my Lightning Hoverboard, next I activate Tribute Storm I tribute one monster to add another one to my hand and I think I’ll add your Predaplant Cephalouts Snail to my hand!” Yuri could no longer help himself and stated to laugh loudly much to everyone’s collective surprise. The president was the most surprised, _Why is he laughing…?_ His eyes widened as he figured out Yuri’s plans but it was too little too late _“Sawatari! Cease your movements immediately!”_ Yuri spoke “You can’t set the pendulum scale with just one monster.” Sawatari’s ego returned “I know that’s why I have two! Your Predaplant Squid Drosera has been in my hand since the start and now Using Scale 1 Predaplant Cephalouts Snail and Scale 2 Predaplant Squid Drosera I set the pendulum scale!” The two plants appeared as Yuri continued to laugh on how blissfully unaware of his ignorance Sawatari was. Yuzu and the kids looked on as the kids quickly caught on to Yuri’s plans. “I knew Yuri was smarter than that and I was right to believe he had pulled a fast one.” Tatsuya exclaimed.

“Now I Pendulum sum-.” An error message flashed on Sawatari’s disk much to his frustration and the President’s anger as Yuri continued to laugh. “You were so easy to fool!” Sawatari clenched his fist “What do you mean cabbage head?” Yuri wiped away a tear “I knew you planned to take my cards so I lead you on to the point where I ‘accidently’ forgot to put away my Pendulum cards, I gave you a pair that couldn’t work!” Sawatari continued to grumble, Sora looked on in shock as Yali continued to write down in his notebook “Exactly as predicted…Sora care to take a look a second.” Yali flipped his note book around as Sora read what Yali had written down before Yuri had explained himself and Sawatari had set the scale. _Yuri has given his opponent Pendulum monsters with an unworkable scale leading to his defeat the turn after trying to use them to summon._ “How did you know Yali?”  Sora questioned Yali’s seemingly inexplicable ability to predict how this duel would turn out “I could tell from his body language that he had a plan, given how he uses pendulum cards and a recent experience of mine I could gather this was his plan. I just so happened to be correct.”

“I was baited…” The president grumbled banging his fist against his chair.

“I end my turn…” Sawatari grunted running off in search of an action card that could help him survive Yuri’s upcoming assault.

“My turn, Using Scale 1 Predaplant Stapelia Worm ad Scale 8 Fly Trap I set the Pendulum scale! Swing Pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the aether! I pendulum summon come forth Ophrys Scorpio! Ophrys Scorpio attack!”

Sawatari (2600 – 1200)

“Starve Venom attack him directly!”  Starve Venom vines grabbed onto Sawatari and brought him before Yuri hanging upside down “Now if you agree to terminate this duel and give me my cards back I could let you go.” Sawatari couldn’t let his ego be harmed and refused to surrender saying “Over my dead body!” Yuri snapped his fingers “That can be arranged.” Yuri nodded at starve venom as Sawatari’s life points zero.

Sawatari (1200 – 0)

**Yuri: _Win!_**

Sawatari lay on the ground as his stooges gathered around him. “Sawatari-san!” They then saw Yuri laughing at their boss’ defeat “You.” One said “Are.” The second one continued “Dead!” The third one shouted as they ran towards Yuri ready to beat the living daylights out of Yuri before they themselves were knocked out by Sora who had approached Yuri alongside Yali.

“Uh who are you two?” Yuri questioned while Yuzu and the kids came to congratulate him on his victory.

“I’m Sora Shiunin and this is my friend Yali.” Yuri looked over the two that seemed to be completely diametrically opposed, Sora appeared to be an excitable young boy with boundless energy while Yali couldn’t be less interested and hadn’t stopped writing in his notebook since the end of Sawatari’s turn. “Why are you here?” Yuri questioned Sora “Because I’m your new apprentice.” Yali snapped his pen in half while Yuri, Yuzu and the kids all had their eyes glaze over.

“WHAT!!” Yuri let his cool demeanour leave him as it was replaced by pure shock, “Absolutely not! Aren’t you already an LDS student! I’ve just been forced into dueling one!”

“Yuri!” Yuzu shouted and grabbed Yuri by his shoulder “Calm down and hear the person out before you go attacking him for a crime he didn’t commit.” Yuri calmed himself and questioned Sora further “Why do you want to be my apprentice?” Sora folded his arms behind his head “You’re simply the most interesting I’ve seen since I got here.” Yuri scowled as Sora continued “Plus that was the most entraining duel me and my friend would like to follow in your footsteps.” Sora dragged an uncooperative and cantankerous Yali to his side “You owe me a new pen Sora…” he grumbled the shock of the fast movement causing him to rip the page he had been writing on “You’re an idiot Sora.” Yali tucked the page into his trouser pocket not wanting to reveal its contents just yet. “Are they okay?” Yuzu pointed towards the three boys and Sylvio “They are fine they’re just unconscious.” Sora said in such a way that it made Yuri and Yuzu feel uncomfortable. “I think I’ll pass on being a teacher.” Yuri sighed he definitely didn’t expect this when he first thought of this plan.         

  **(Leo Corporation HQ)**

“I can’t believe this…” Nakajima was stunned at Yuri’s victory as the president fixed his glasses.

“It is of no worry at the moment that Sawatari lost we got enough information from Yuri’s explanation and enough data came from his summoning to create our own and as I believe Sawatari never handed back the pendulum cards we can take them of his hands and study them. However what is the issue really is, is that two people appeared towards the end of the match.” A picture of Yali and Sora appeared on the screen, it quickly zeroed in on two suspicious objects both belonging to Yali, the president turned to his assistant “ See what you can find on these two.” A quick video played of a page hitting the ground which Yali had failed to notice, “Also if you can find it bring me this page if my suspicions are correct this could hold valuable information.” The assistant left the room leaving the president alone with his thoughts. _Yuri you are beginning to interest me even more than three years ago._

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> A/N: This was a hard chapter for me to write as I had to think of a way to get Yuri to duel Sawatari as I reckon he’d be too smart to just let his cards be stolen so that was the best I could come up with. This the shortest chapter by far as for once I kept the focus exclusively on the standard dimension. Yali in order to avoid suspicion by Yuri will attempt to blend in using a Dragon Ruler Xyz deck. Why Dragon Rulers? Because I was traumatized by them in 2013 and want to traumatize other people.


	7. "Just as I planned!"

Yuri had left along with Yuzu and the kids leaving Yali and Sora behind. Standing in a secluded hall in the LDS building not too far from the central duel court Sora began a tongue and cheek remark towards an infuriated Yali.

“So how do you think that went Yali? Pretty good if I do say so myself.” Sora leapt as Yali grabbed his jacket and forced him against the wall. “Good! GOOD!” Yali’s eyes pierced Sora’s soul, he was beginning to regret angering him, he was known for a short fuse at academia. “If you call messing with my work good I’ll have you hung, drawn and quartered!” Yali then proceeded to knee Sora in a certain reproductive area that put the young boy in crippling pain as Yali released his grip causing him to fall with a thud to the ground. “I can’t decide whether I should continue to let you live or if I should card you right here and now!” Yali lifted his disk pointing it directly at Sora’s face his hand hovering threateningly over the card function. “You know what Sora?” Yali dropped his disk causing Sora to question Yali’s sudden change in plans “W-w-what is it Yali?”

Yali tapped his forehead “It’s just funny how a supposed elite like you is trembling in your boots at the sight of someone else doing something that you get sadistic pleasure in.” Yali held up the notebook he was known for carrying quickly flicking thought the pages as he spoke “People like you fascinate me! How hypocritical you are! Students wonder what this notebook holds, I’ve never once told anyone what it contains besides dueling strategies.” Yali closed the notebook in front of Sora’s face “It’ll continue to be a mystery until I decide otherwise.” Yali smirked noticing the fear he had so effortlessly inserted into Sora, no wonder he was regarded by many to be the main instigator of terror even more so than Yuya. Yali walked away leaving Sora with some parting instructions “You’ll continue to follow Yuri until the invasion then you can proceed on your own devices. I have business to attend to.” Yali tore a page muttering to himself “I won’t let them interfere, I can’t allow them in my way…” Leaving the building he crumpled the page tossing it in a bin smirking “One’s gone now to get rid of _him_.” He tucked his notebook into his trouser pocket as he left for the harbour to collect himself and his thoughts.

Yali sat on the harbour watching the waves crash against the sea wall, just thinking nothing less nothing more. “Hey you!” a gruff voice called from a nearby alley behind him, he turned his head rather disinterested in this situation until he noticed the red scarf tied to this person’s right arm, making the decision that this would be worth his time he issued a reply to the individual while standing up “Yes? Why would you want me?” Pointing to himself pretending not to know what was going on. The person _surprisingly_ wasn’t fooled zeroing in on Yali’s duel disk “You’re not from around here are you?” Yali scratched his neck intentionally making his disk even more obvious “I don’t believe you are too. Eh? Yuto.” Even though Yuto’s face was covered by a mask Yali could tell he hit him for six, Yuto clenched his fist tightly shaking with rage “You and your silver tongue fooled us all back in XYZ but I won’t allow you to take another step forward and ruin another peaceful dimension! Now tell me where Ruri is!” Yuto had to restrain himself from throwing himself on top of a laughing Yali “Oh Yuto, Yuto, Yuto. I had nothing to do with the abduction of your girlfriend and where she is exactly I don’t know but I won’t deny my work in scouting your dimension alongside another associate of mine.” Yuto didn’t want to listen anymore and activated his disk “Oh you’re jumping the gun a bit don’t you think?” Yali shrugged inserting a deck into his disk before readying his “But I won’t complain about extending my win streak over you!”

“Duel!” Both of them shouted.

Yali: 4000 LP       Yuto: 4000 LP    Cards x5

Yuto began the duel, “I set all 2 cards face down and end my turn.” Yali laughed at the predictability of his opponents move “You always were too passive explains why your dimension was so easy to invade.”

“My turn, I draw I’ll start by playing the spell Sacred Sword of Seven Stars by banishing one level 7 monster from my hand I can draw two cards, I think I’ll banish Blaster, Dragon Ruler of Infernos!”

Yuto eyes widened, “You even have the nerve to use that deck. Do you have any shred of respect or decency for all the people you betrayed?!”  

Yali narrowed his eyes “Why do you ask? Does it bring back bad memories?” Yuto gritted his teeth, “You have some nerve…” Yuto remember that fateful day he had first met Yali.

**(XYZ Dimension) (Before invasion)**

“Go Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Take out Shun’s Rise Falcon! Mauling mandible charge!” Dark Rebellion’s metallic tusks tore the bird in half wiping out Shun’s remaining life points.

Shun (400 - 0)

**Yuto: WIN!**

“That was great Yuto!” Ruri cheered as she threw herself onto a blushing Yuto, “That’s your fourth consecutive victory over Shun you’re a real prodigy in the making aren’t you? My noble knight?”

“Trust me I’m nothing special Ruri your brother had me backed into a corner I only just manage to make a comeback.” Yuto kept his modesty as Shun walked over “You are too modest Yuto. Take a bit more pride in your skills!”

“Hey are you going to take this duel seriously or not!” the shouting from a purple haired boy towards a grey haired one caused the three to turn their attention to another duel that was going on nearby. “Hey Yuto?” Shun asked “Yeah?” Yuto replied “Do you know that guy I’ve not seen him around here before.” Yuto went through his thoughts but wasn’t able to link the individual to anyone, “Nope I’ve never seen him either.” The purple haired boy continued to rage “You’ve been writing in that notebook since we started!” Yuto noticed the current field, the purple haired one had no cards in hand, Black Ray Lancer on his field with no overlay units and 4000 life points while the grey haired one had 5 cards in hand, no cards on the field and a measly 100 life points left.

He sighed shutting the book “Fine, I’ll warn you it’s your own funeral. My turn I discard Reactan, Dragon Ruler of Pebbles and Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks to summon a Redox, Dragon Ruler of Boulders from y deck in defence mode!” A huge earth dragon appeared in flash _Redox Dragon Ruler of Boulders Level 7 (1600/ **3000** )_

“Next I banish the two baby Dragon Rulers in my graveyard to summon Blaster Dragon Ruler of infernos from my hand in attack mode!” _Blaster Dragon Ruler of infernos Level 7 ( **2800** /1800)._

“He has two level seven monsters on is field…” Shun mumbled.

“I overlay my two Level 7 Dragon rulers to build the overlay network! I XYZ summon! Come Forth! Rank 7! Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack!” A threatening half jet half beast hybrid appeared pointing its turrets threateningly. _Mecha Phantom Beast Dracossack_ _Rank 7 ( **2600** /2200),_ “Dracossack’s effect I detach one overlay unit and summon two tokens to the field and while they are on the field you can’t target him with effects and he cannot be destroyed by battle or card effects.”

“What is he planning with those tokens…?” Yuto pondered as the Dragon ruler player continued his turn.

“Dracossack’s second effect I destroy one token on my field to destroy your Black Ray Lancer.” The turrets fired destroying both the two targets “The down side is my Dracossack can’t attack.” His opponent interrupted “So that’s your big move I’ll beat you next turn.”

“You won’t get another turn! Your end starts here! I activate the spell Sacred Sword of Seven Stars, I banish Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls from my hand to draw two cards and it just so happens when Tidal is banished I can add a Streams, Dragon Rulers of Droplets to my hand, I now discard it alongside a Tempest in my hand to summon a Tidal directly from my deck. I now banish Blaster and Streams from my graveyard to summon back Tempest from the graveyard.” _Tidal, Dragon Ruler of Waterfalls Level 7 ( **2600** /2000), Tempest, Dragon Ruler of Storms Level 7 ( **2400** /2200)_

“Huh! That’s 5000 points of damage right there!” the Purple haired boy fell over on the sight of the two dragons staring him down, “You shouldn’t have bothered me. Tempest! Tidal! Direct attack!”

Unknown (4000 – 0)

The win icon flashed on the Dragon ruler wielders disk as he walked towards his opponent “I believe you owe me a deck _Ryoga”_ Ryoga reluctantly pulled out his deck before it was quickly snatched out of his hands and slid into the opposing duelist’s pocket .

“Hey you!” Yuto shouted “Who are you and what do you think you are doing?” Yuto combined with Ruri and Shun store the ante duelist down. “For what I’m doing I’m just taking my reward he had a deal with me, his deck for the card he most wants in the world and you saw he lost,” Folding his arms he said the next part “as for my name that would be Yali.”

**(Flashback end)**

“I suppose you started as you meant to go on Yali.” Yuto became enraged “Started with and ante duel and ended with one as well!”

“Someone is definitely still a bit touchy, I did what I had to do,” Yali took his notebook out causing another snarl from Yuto “Everything went exactly as I planned you were none the wiser, it was simple, you Xyz scum never look two feet in front of your face, the answer was always right in front of you!”

**(Flashback) (Day before the invasion)**

Siting in a coffee shop Yuto, Shun, Ruri and Yali were minding their own business until Shun dragged Yuto and Ruri’s attention to Yali

“Yali you’ve been writing non-stop in that book of yours for hours you can’t possibly have that much to write.” Yuto glanced to see Shun standing over the top of a sitting Yali in a domineering stance. “I assure you Shun it is all necessary.” Yali put down his pen and leaned back in his chair flicking a loose strand of hair back into place, unfazed by Shun’s temperament “Planning is the key to success.” Ruri came to Shun’s side “Shun leave Yali alone.” Ruri pulled Shun away as Yali smiled “Thank you Ruri, he was starting to get on my nerves.” Shun gave Yali a cold gaze as he was forcibly pulled away alongside Yuto as Ruri excused them to a secluded area nearby.

“Shun is something about Yali bothering you? You’ve been at his throat recently, that’s not like you.” Ruri looked over her brother who seemed to tense up every time Yali’s name was mentioned, Yuto also looked concerned for his best friend’s wellbeing but was also keen to know if Shun had found any dirt on Yali. Both had recently become suspicious of Yali’s behaviour, he would too often note mundane things like the average number of buildings in an area down, was too protective of his notebook and seemed to use tactics that weren’t taught in any duel school from around these parts.

“Something about that guy is just so off putting.” Shun narrowed his eyes at Yuto gesturing for Yuto to continue on while he collected his reasoning, “It’s like he knows something big is going to happen.”

“The way he introduced himself to us also seemed like a show of force given how easily he finished Ryoga off I don’t think it would be too far-fetched to say he has planned everything since the start but why would he go to such lengths.” Yuto scratched his forehead hoping that when they came back Yali wouldn’t be suspicious of them. “He seems to be the type to plan meticulously, I say when we go back and try to break it to him subtly.” Yuto looked to Shun, “Shun please try not to be too rash.”   

Shun either didn’t seem to know what diplomacy was or he had just tuned out Yuto’s words as he recollected himself. “I say we go and say it to his face, possibly force a confession about his true intentions!” Yuto and Ruri sighed, it would take a long time to iron out the ceases in their plan.

Meanwhile Yali’s was going perfectly he checked a nearby clock as the sun partially illuminating his notes.  ‘ _At 13:05 Yuto, Shun and Ruri leave me to discuss matters pertaining to why I’m really here, they are unable to figure out a plan on how to approach me before…’_ Smirking he closed the notebook. _They’ve got no chance in making me slip up and give any information away, it takes the truth to fool me_. He thought intentionally ripping out a page leaving it on the table as he stood up slowly fully aware he was being watched as he left.

“Ok so we’re agreed in trying to get information out of Yali subtly.” Yuto looked at Shun as he grumbled “Sure Yuto…”

“Hey, look Yali’s left something on our table” Ruri pointed to the lone page which was left slightly askew, picking it up, they read the note together with confused faces at it content.

_Xteg er ue ihr vtwvh is qbo hpng lb ztcd bmg qsn I’z jruway uweg inz fuhg_ [1]

_Yours, Yali._

**(Flashback end)**

Yali crossed his arms and looked to his feet “You really disappointed me that day, I thought highly of you…” He brought his head up and shot a dejected glare in Yuto’s direction “I’m still disappointed that despite all the clues I gave you and still continue to give you never figured out the key.”

“Enough talk! Continue with the duel.” Yuto snarled resisting his urge to strangle Yali as the person in question simply shrugged “Fine by me.”

“Blaster’s effect! I add Burner, Dragon Ruler of Sparks to my hand. Next I discard Burner with a Tidal in my hand to summon a second Blaster from my deck in attack mode. ( **2800** /1800). Next I banish Burner and Tidal from my graveyard to summon Tempest to my field also in attack mode ( **2400** /2200).” Yali check out the field before returning to surveying his hand “Hmm… If I know you well enough those facedowns are likely there to either prevent me from attacking or to set up as bait for me to destroy so you can activate their effects to summon them back from the graveyard.” He clapped his hands together as his lips curled into a smirk “So I’ll set two cards and at my turn’s end activate the quick play spell Super Rejuvenation and since I discarded two dragons I get to draw two cards. It’s your move Yuto so be careful next turn I won’t be cautious and you will face the Wrath of the Drago Rulers!”

“My turn! I activate my two face downs The Phantom Knights of Shade Brigandine both of these traps are now summoned onto my field as level 4 monsters in defence mode (0/ **800** ).”

“Two level 4 monsters…I guess it is time for the ace to appear.” Yali held his right shoulder slightly wincing.

“I overlay both Shade Brigandine to construct the Overlay Network!” Two black charges of energy flew into the swirling yellow vortex in front of Yuto as he chanted “Formed from pitch black darkness, to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs! Descend now! XYZ summon! Dark Rebellion XYZ Dragon!” The sensors in the Leo corp situation room went haywire as the dragon appeared two purple orbs floating around it ( **2500** /2000) (OLU: 2).

“We both still bear the scars of that day, mine was mental while yours was physical Yali!” Dark Rebellion growled menacingly at the sight of Yali whereas his Dragon Rulers were itching to destroy the monster that had humiliated them and its wielder.

“I believe you are correct.” Yali looked towards the Xyz dragon with nothing but disgust and loathing “My scars much like yours run deep.” Yali turned his back lifting up his shirt to show a jagged scar resembling Dark Rebellion’s tusks ran all the way down the right side of his body. He fixed himself back up before continuing “But physical pain is temporary, mental not so much.”

“Dark Rebellion’s effect! I use one overlay unit to halve your Blaster’s attack and add it to my monsters attack! Treason Discharge!” The purple electricity voltage weakened the Ruler of Infernos as it let out a deafening screech.

Dark Rebellion Atk (2500 – 3900)

Blaster Atk (2800 – 1400)

“I use its second overlay unit to do the same thing!”

(3900 – 4600)

(1400 – 700)

“Battle! Dark Rebellion annihilate Blaster! Mauling Mandible Charge.”

 “Yes! Yes!” Yali’s hands shook with excitement “Just as I planned! I knew you would do that! I activate the Continuous Trap **Roar of the Dragon Rulers**!”

“WHAT! You never used that card before!” Yuto was taken back by this unexpected development.

“You didn’t think I used my full power back in the Xyz dimension! If you did you’re even more gullible than I thought! And to think I considered you worthy!”

“Cut the crap! What does the card do?!”

“With Roar of the Dragon Rulers if I control two or more Dragon type monsters your monster’s attacked is weakened by total attack of the monsters on my field!”

 (4600 – 1500)

“Dark Rebellion is still stronger! The attack will go on!”

“I activate my second continuous trap **Dragon Rulers’ Domain!** When an opponent’s monster’s attack is reduced by card effect you take damage equal to the change in your monster’s attack!”

“How’s that for a reversal Yuto! You thought you were going to come out on top but in the end you take 3100 points of damage while I only take 800!”

Yali (4000 – 3200)

Yuto (4000 – 900)  

“I’ll set two cards facedown again and end my turn. At this point your Dragon Rulers’ main weakness is shown! At the end phase of my turn if they were special summoned they return to your hand!”

“It’s not an issue and that’s one thing you can trust me on for once, plus your dragon’s effect ends too.”

Dark Rebellion (1500 – 2500)

Cards x2

“My turn.” Yali cocked his head to Yuto “Say if I received correct information before my departure there would be multiple Xyz remnants in the standard dimension, judging from the fact you’re here I wouldn’t be too far off saying that Shun would be with you, am I correct?”

Yuto sneered “You would be correct as usual _Yali._ ” Yuto spat out his opponents name as if it were poison.

Yali threw his arms out, slightly grimacing due to his scar “It’s going to be one big happy reunion!” he narrowed his eyes “Well except one…”

Yuto flared up on the mention of Ruri’s abduction “You always know more than you let on! Tell me where she is!”

Yali held up his hands “It’s like I said I really don’t know apart from the fact a friend of mine abducted her and from what I heard from him it was quite the entertaining show he put on for her.”

A hysterical voice pierced the air causing both Yuto and Yali a great amount of shock “It’s YOU!”

Yuto sighed as Yali laughed “There he is! Mister subtly himself!” Yali swung around to meet Shun face to face with a sicking grin.

“You have some sick and twisted mind ever to show your face again! You Scumbag!” Shun threw a punch which was quickly side-stepped.

 “I’ll make you rue the day you ever stepped foot in our dimension!” Shun continued to throw punch after punch all of which were avoided “You can’t convict me of doing a-” one punch finally connected stopping Yali midsentence and sending him crashing to the ground landing decisively on his right side.

“AHHH!” Yali screamed in pain, complete ire in expression “SHUN YOU IDIOT! Do you have any idea who and what you’re messing with!?”

“That was for all my comrades, all the people you betrayed, for all the innocent people you and your fusion freaks carded…” Shun paced towards a Yali who was in crippling pain rolling up the sleeve on his trench coat he thrust his fist towards Yali in an attempted knockout blow “And this is for RURI!” Shun’s fist stopped suddenly inches away from Yali’s face, the person in question who had closed his eyes in anticipation slowly opened them to see Yuto with his fist deep in Shun’s gut.

“Why Yuto…” Shun fell onto Yuto’s waiting shoulder as Yali attempted to struggle to his feet making it halfway there before collapsing, for once in his life at a loss for words. Yuto approached him refusing to make direct eye contact, his eyes were barely visible under his googles  “Yali you’re not in the clear, you’re every bit as guilty as Shun says the only reason I stopped him is that I don’t believe in punching the answers out of you, I’ll make you pay in due time.” Yuto then proceeded to deactivate his disk and stamp down on Yali’s crushing and destroying it in the process. _‘Duel Terminated’_

“I…I…It doesn’t…M-m-m.” Yali’s will to stay conscious faded as he drifted out of the real world leaving him with only one thought before everything went completely black.

_‘It doesn’t matter what I did! The ends justify the means!’_    

Yuto gazed at both passed out individuals. The one lying on his shoulder was a true friend who always stood by his side through thick and thin and while he could be hot headed at times he always respected him no matter what. However the one lying on the dock in front of him meant nothing to him it was disgusting even to look at him, anger swelled up inside of him, he wanted so badly to end it all but he couldn’t just disregard what Ruri had said.

The sun illuminated an item lying next to Yali’s body, Yuto bent down to pick it up he couldn’t believe his eyes he was holding the notebook which was the cause of so much of the anger he felt towards its owner, amply nicknamed as the ‘Book of no return’ by the resistance so many had their names written in this book all had vanished ever since, it was theorized they had been carded but no proof was ever found. Reading through the pages nothing seemed to stand out much of the things he saw he fully expected from an Academia member however one page caught his attention and his jaw dropped at its contents.

“How…Why…Does he know that?” Yuto tore the page out to making sure that he was as careful as possible so Yali wouldn’t notice that it had been removed before setting it back beside the owner.

He walked on dragging Shun over his shoulder to where they were hiding out, next day Shun was due to search for the Professor’s son and any goons he might have, he was supposed to go out as well but know he wasn’t sure, it was all hazy now, even unconscious Yali had a way of getting to them.     

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I decided to give Yali the same role as Dennis in the Xyz dimension but for him to go about it in a slightly different way. The character I’ve set out for him is of a meticulous planner able to adapt to any circumstance that may change his original. As for the Note he left behind which was seemingly gibberish it’s an actual message that I encrypted post your ideas in to what the message is I would like to see if anyone can figure it out, I’ve given you two clues to help you crack it so happy hunting!


	8. My name is Judgment

“Ugh…” Yuri groaned as he heard a beeping coming from the alarm clock on his bedside table, Yuri placed his head deep into his pillow in an attempt to ignore it in a very ineffective way. The beeping didn’t stop _‘I swear to god I’m going to kill the person who invented the alarm clock’._ There was a knock at the door “Yuri wake up your breakfast is going to get cold.” Yuri shifted slightly but still refused to get up letting out a grunt of indifference. Yoko wasn’t impressed at her son’s un-cooperativeness “Yuri if you’re not out of this door in the next minute! I’ll show you what I learnt as a former gang leader!” Yuri’s ears perked up as his face grimaced he knew all too well what that meant “Fine…” Yuri relented sliding out of bed onto the floor he got dressed still half asleep, he wore a plain purple t-shirt with a pair of sliver trousers tucked into brown trainers, he also wore his foster brother’s pendant. Walking out of his room he donned the Maiami high school blazer as he retraced his thoughts on the previous day _‘That Sora kid is such an annoying idiot, I’ll never take him in as an apprentice and if he challenges me to a duel he’ll face my most powerful cards plus something about is demeanour is just unsettling ’_

Yuri arrived downstairs to see an unexpected blue haired guest scoffing down a plate of pancakes, Sora looked up from his plate to see Yuri sitting across from him “Teacher!” Yuri proceed to bang his head on the table repeatedly before reaching across, grabbing Sora by his jacket causing the boy to remember his treatment yesterday maybe Yuya wasn’t the only person Yuri resembled “Why are you here?” Yuri snarled his mind racing with thoughts about what to do with this pest “First your invasion is in my dreams then you appear in real life.” Sora whimpered reliving past experiences of torture in Academia particularly at the hands of one individual and his sadistic friend.

“Yuri!” Yoko’s stern voice snapped Yuri to attention as he gulped under risk of his adoptive mother’s wrath “If you must know I found him wondering around the house and I couldn’t help but give him something to eat…” Yoko looked at Sora as she slid another plate towards him and then one to Yuri. Yuri raised an eyebrow as he looked at his mother’s solemn expression knowing all too well what she was thinking about “You shouldn’t just take any random person you see into the house mother, who knows what sort of diseases these strays could drag in.” It was Yoko’s turn to raise an eyebrow “People who live in glass houses Yuri.” Yuri sunk in his seat as Sora took this opportunity to try and press forward with his goals “Aww come on teacher! You should be happy to see your apprentice.” Yuri’s glared daggers at Sora as he mouthed something then slid his thumb under his throat, Yoko on the other was quite enthralled “Yuri I didn’t know you had an apprentice.” Yuri twirled his hair quickly losing interest “I didn’t know either.” Yoko chastised Yuri “You’ll learn to show people some respect mister!” Sora held in a laugh as Yuri once again threatened him “Why did you have to turn up?” He pushed his chair back “I need to leave now, Yuzu is waiting for me,” He pointed his finger towards Sora as he slung his bag over his shoulder “if you follow me you’ll give me a set of choices about what to do to you, I’ll warn you some aren’t exactly pleasant…”

“Yuzu…” Yuri panted heavily after catching up to his friend of seven years. “Oh Yuri what a surprise your five minutes late.” Yuri grunted folding his arms in a huff “Well you didn’t have to deal with a home invasion. That Sora is such a pest.” Yuzu giggled “So he followed you to your house?” Yuri continued to ramble “I swear to god if I hear his annoying high pitched voice again, his head isn’t going to be on his shoulders anymore!” A voice called out from behind him “Teacher!” Something snapped in Yuri’s brain as he wheeled around to see Sora behind him and Yuzu “Jesus Christ! Go away! Why are you following me!?” He turned scarlet with rage as Sora grinned “Where ever the teacher goes the apprentice will follow.” Yuri’s hands shook it took a great amount of effort not strangle the smirking Sora, his voice was at a low growl “One You’re not my apprentice. Second you’re an annoying whose voice is like nails on a chalkboard brat well and third stop following me!”

Sora pouted “Come on! Take me as your apprentice I want to learn how to do that incredible Pendulum summon! It was so cool!”

“Slight problem you need pendulum cards to do it so you can’t actually do it.”

Sora turned to Yuzu “Come on big sis can you ask him to do it again?” Yuzu replied “And why should I Sora?”

“Because if teacher’s girlfriend asks him he’ll have no choice but to do it!” Yuri and Yuzu turned and looked to each other both slightly blushing, “GIRLFRIEND!” Both shouted Sora down as he asked a question to the pair “Did I guess wrong?” Yuri flailed his arms wildly “Yes you did!” Yuri and Yuzu looked at each other again “Why would I go out with her, she’s such a crude violent women l-” Yuzu had fire in her eyes as her fan interrupted Yuri mid rant “Ignorant bastard who the hell does he think he is…” She stormed off leaving Yuri shaken on the ground. Sora grinned Yuzu’s sense of justice was very similar to that persons “Teacher are you ok?” Yuri held his head in pain _‘smooth move Yuri smooth move’_

A while later Yuri was holding two of his pendulum cards behind a propped up English textbook “I never got those two cards back, it’s a given that the leo corp will soon start producing their own versions and then everyone will be running about with them, I’ve got to make good use of it before people like Sawatari get their hands on it.”

Hanging from a tree staring through a pair of binoculars Sora commented “Teacher you’re making such a serious face, I’ll cheer you up though!” Throughout the day Sora began to pop up much to Yuri’s ever growing distain which was made even more obvious as he talked to Yuzu after the school day ended “It’s not natural to resist my urges so much Yuzu…” Yuzu sighed “Yuri stop moaning the kid is just excited.” Yuri shot a side eyed glance of disgust at Yuzu “I’ll stop moaning if you let me get my hands on him and allow me to my own devices.” Yuzu began to reach for her fan before deciding to try and talk Yuri down “Come on Yuri! If you bring that attitude to the duel school it’ll just make the situation there even worse than it already is plus wouldn’t your dad want you to bring smiles to faces instead of frowns would he not.”

“Fine but that won’t stop me from hating the kid.” Yuri slid his hands into his pockets and plastered on a fake smile as he and Yuzu walked on to You Show both however failed to noticed a fourteen year boy with spiky blue hair combined with bangs of green hair sticking out covering his right eye, his left eye a brilliant yellow, in his left ear was a small sliver crystal earring, he wore a silver t-shirt with four blue triangles directly in the centre, tied around his waist was a grey jacket, a pair of blue jeans held in place by a black belt and pure white trainers. On his right arm was his black and white duel disk and he was writing in a white notebook “Delete…” He mumbled as he passed by Yuri and Yuzu.

Before going into the school Yuzu made Yuri promise “Please make sure that you don’t throw a tantrum.” Yuri side eyed her again “Your days are numbered if you keep making comments like that Yuzu.” The two continued to bicker until Yuri decide to just give up on the conversation walking into the school and for the second time today meeting with an unwanted sight “Teacher!” Sora called sitting with the three kids causing Yuri punch a nearby wall “For the third time today! Why are you here!?” the kids were perplexed “But Yuri we thought he was your apprentice, he’s been here waiting for you.”

“I’m am going to make this very clear children! I d-” Yuri was interrupted midsentence by an ecstatic Shuzo “Since he’s your apprentice that means he’ll be joining the duel school right Yuri!” Yuri sighed “He’s not my apprentice get that through that thick skull of yours!” Sora saw the opportunity for some mischief and seized it readily “Teacher duel me and show me more of your Pendulum summoning it was so cool that I want to see it up close and personal.” Yuri paced over and shoved his fist in Sora’s face “I’ll duel you when the sky turns green and when pigs fly.” Sora smirked “But if you win I’ll get off your back when it comes to this teacher and apprentice business.” Yuri’s face brightened but then immediately darkened “What’s the catch.” Sora grinned “If I win it you’ll have no choice but to let me be your apprentice!” Yuri sighed as he thought _‘Kinda defeats the purpose of a teacher doesn’t it’_ “Fine I’ll duel you but you have to promise to keep your word otherwise you’ll never see the light of day again.”

Soon Yuri and Sora were standing on opposite sides on the duel field. Sora was jumping up and down in excitement “This is going to be so cool!” The field came into being around them as Shuzo declared the field he had chosen for the duel “Action Field Wildest West on!” As Sora became aware of the choice he began to complain “I thought this was going to be fun but instead you go and chose a boring field like this one.” He crossed his arms as he huffed “Isn’t there a more interesting or fun field you have.” Yuri rubbed his temples muttering under his breath “God I’m getting a migraine, this kid just never shuts up!” Shuzo was surprised but pressed after finding a new field that hopefully Sora would feel is suitable “Okay Action Field Sweets Island on!” The western setting was replaced by an island made of desserts and all sorts of sweets. Yuri snorted as Sora looked around in wonder _‘Honestly these fields just keep getting weirder and weirder’_ “Thank you so much mister! This is my dream come true.” Shuzo and the others all collectively awed at Sora’s cuteness as a voice called out from behind them “So your dream is type 2 diabetes! How very interesting I’ll make a note of that for later.” Yuzu, Shuzo and the kids all turned round to see the boy who had passed by Yuri and Yuzu standing with his back to the wall as he did as he said he would taking out a pen and making a note off it before looking towards the five people who were now looking blankly at him, “What the hell are you mongs looking at?” He spat venom at them completely indifferent to how they would feel “I don’t know maybe the guy who just insulted my daughter!” Shuzo raged before being restrained by Yuzu before he could harm the boy also whacking him over the head with her fan “Dad!” the boy chuckled _‘Mental note this is very entertaining I must do it more often’_ Tatsuya prodded the boy “What’s your name and why are you here?” The boy scoffed and stuck his nose up in the air “I’m Demil as for why I’m here I was looking for a way to pass the time, it gets ass numbingly boring just beating everyone and sitting around doing nothing so I thought I’d come round to this lawsuit waiting to happen and see if anything was happening,” Demil turned his attention to the duel “I guess it was my lucky day you seem to have quite the match on your hands.”

It was Yuri’s first turn “I’ll start off slow I set one monster face down and one card to my backrow then end my turn, let’s see if you can beat me Sora.”

Sora pouted again “Aww! I was hoping for something more exciting teacher like how you finished off that Sawatari guy with that fusion dragon of yours.” Deep down Sora knew he had to be careful, Yuri had defeated Yali after all so it wasn’t like he didn’t know what he was doing.

Yuri shrugged “From a gentle seed can grow a mighty oak!” Sora was confused “English please?” Yuri sighed, he was expecting too much from this pest “Something so small can be great in the end.” Sora clicked his tongue “Gotcha now teacher!” This comment caused Yuri rage “Call me teacher one more time and I’ll rearrange your face!” Sora snickered, his victory would depend on him get Yuri angry enough to make him slip up.

Demil’s eye was focused squarely on Sora “Such predictable tactics…”  Yuzu turned to him “What do you mean Demil?” The person in question snorted running a hand through his hair “That blue haired boy has got as many holes as a colander, I mean he’s practically leaking information as we speak.” Yuzu listened closely to his following words as her father pondered _‘Demil…Demil where have I heard that name before…’_

“My turn and to start I’ll activate the continuous Spell Toy Vendor by sending this useless card in my hand to the graveyard I can draw another card and if it happens to be a level four or below monster I can special summon it.” Sora sent instant fusion from his hand and drew “And it’s the monster Edge Imp Sabres which I now summon to the field!” A ball rolled down the machine and opened up revelling the malicious looking set of scissors _Level 3 ( **1200** /800)._ “Next I normal summon Fluffal Leo.” A plush and fluffy lion appeared beside Edge imp sabres. _Level 4 ( **1600** /1200)_

“He’s used a continuous spell to successfully summon to monsters in a row impressive…” Demil however was less than impressed “You must be amazed when someone summons three monsters in one turn! It’s hardly anything special I’ve done it with my eye closed!” Shuzo returned to his original line of thinking _‘I swear I’ve heard that boy’s name somewhere before…’_ “What deck do you use Demil?” Shuzo asked curiously “Judgement…” Demil dropped his head towards his notebook burying his nose in it “Delete…Delete…Delete.” Shuzo’s next question was interrupted by Yuzu and Ayu “So cute!” Yuri face palmed “Could this day get any worse…” And right on que Sora declared the beginning of his next move “Now I’ll activate the Spell Card Polymerization!” Everyone’s head shot in Sora’s direction, Yuri and Demil both had particularly shocked reactions _‘Polymerization…no way he can’t be can he?’_ Yuri thought as Demil dropped his notebook as it made a resounding thud hitting the floor hard _‘Polymerization…He must be deleted’._

The rest of the group also reacted to Sora’s use of the card “So he can fusion summon, that must mean he’s an LDS student right?” Tatsuya asked around the group “I’ve forgotten what polymerization does, can anyone explain to me again?” Futoshi spoke out loud as Tatsuya explained to them “Polymerization allows you combine two or more monsters in your hand or on your field into a very powerful monster known as a Fusion monster.” Tatsuya looked on in awe as he saw a blue and red swirling vortex appear behind Sora’s the two monsters on his field were sucked into the vortex forming a blinding yellow light “I fuse together my Fluffal Leo and my Edge Imp sabres! I fusion summon! Level 6! Frightfur Tiger!” A blue tiger with Scissors stuck through the middle appeared from the vortex _Level 6 ( **1900** /1200_)

“DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!” Demil screamed almost frothing at the mouth, his unusual behaviour shocking everyone in the viewing room “Demil! Calm down!” Yuzu for the second day had to restrain someone from attacking another person, she had to tackle him down struggling to maintain control as she held him down as he began to kick and scream “GET THE HELL OFF ME! I MUST DELETE HIM!” He covered his right eye as it began to sear with pain, halfway across the city an awake but still hospitalised Yali began to feel pain build up on the right side of his back “Delete…Delete…Delete” he began to mumble almost entranced.

Back at the school the duel continued “Tiger’s first effect is that it gains 300 attack points for each Fluffal and Frightfur monster on my field but sine I only have it only goes up by a lame 300.”

Tiger (1900 – 2200)

“Its second effect is it destroys cards your field equal to the amount of monsters used as a fusion material for its summon so say goodbye to your facedown monster and your set card!”

“That’s some effect but completely pointless in the end.” Yuri watched as his facedowns were ripped to shreds.

“Battle! Frightfur Tiger attack Teacher directly!” Yuri simply stood as Tiger’s claws threw him back into the lake behind him. “Yuri!” The kids shouted concerned about their role model, Yuzu was still too busy holding down a still flailing Demil to notice Yuri’s predicament as he climbed out of the lake and back onto the island completely drenched from head to toe much to the relief of the kids.

Yuri (4000 – 1800)

Yuzu had finally subdued Demil enough to feel comfortable to take a look at the situation “Well he certainly is good he got rid of Yuri’s entire field and he also manged to drop Yuri’s life points below half!” Shuzo nodded in agreement as he kept one eye on Demil “That’s some monster he has got there Yuri has to be at his best if he’s going to beat it.”

“I set one card face down and end my turn.” Sora looked over to see Yuri lying on his back panting “What’s wrong teacher you seemed so confident that you were going to win just a moment ago!”

Yuri dragged himself to his feet “Don’t be so cocky I can assure you that I’ll still win! And it all starts here with the Spell Predaplant Recycling by sending Predaplant Banksiogre in my hand to the graveyard I can draw two cards,” a smirk grew on Yuri’s face “I believe you’ve been waiting for this moment Sora and everyone else don’t blink now or you’ll miss it! Using Scale 1 Predaplant Stapelia Worm and Scale 5 Predaplant Sarraceniant I set the pendulum scale!” The two plants appeared either side of Yuri in pillars of blue light as the rainbow coloured word Pendulum flashed on Yuri’s duel disk. “With this I can summon monsters level 2 through 4 simultaneously! Swing Pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the aether! Pendulum summon! Come forth Predaplant Moray Nepenthes and Predaplant Spinodionaea!”

“Wow! It’s so cool up close!” Sora was giddy bouncing up and down as Yuri continued “I now activate the effect of my trap **Fusion Reincarnation** from my graveyard by banishing this card it allows me to add Polymerization to my hand.” Yuri swiped the card quickly adding the card to his hand “I must thank you destroying this card earlier.” Sora grunted, he’d been lured into a trap “I now activate Polymerization! Fusing my two Predaplants together! I fusion summon! Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!” _Level 8 ( **2800** /2000)_

Demil began to act up again “DELETE! DELETE! DELETE!” He started to kick his legs up and down however he was still kept tightly under Yuzu’s control locking what he could accomplish “Evil must be deleted!” Yuzu silently hopped that Yuri would be able to finish this duel quickly before this mysterious boy could do anyone any harm.

“When Starve Venom is summoned it gains the attack points of one special summoned monster on you field and since you’ve only got one, Starve gains a 2200 point boost!”

Starve Venom (2800 – 5000)

“I now activate Stapelia Worm’s pendulum effect since your monster’s attack points are higher than what they started off at your monster’s effect is negated and its attack drops to zero!”

Tiger (2200 – 0)

_‘Not good!”_ Sora thought as he ran off to collect an action card showing off his athleticism as raced.

Yuri took flight on Starve Venom in order to block Sora’s path as vines extended blocking any exits “Now I’ll give you a chance…If you agree to stop following me around and calling me teacher I’ll let you live and if you say no well…Let’s just say it won’t be very pleasant!” Sora remained silent unable to comprehend the situation at hand “I’ll take that as a no then! Starve Venom direct attack!” Sora was blown back by the sheer force as Frightfur was vaporised in front of him.

Sora (4000 – 0)

**_Yuri: Win!_ **

“Yuri won!” The kids cheered for his victory as Yuzu’s attention was drawn to the result she let out a small smile glad that Yuri had won however this moment of blind emotion let Demil slip away. The action field disappeared as Yuri turned his head down to Sora in front of him “Well Sora it looks like I won you remember o-” Yuri was interrupted by a laughing Sora “That was so fun Yuri! Dueling with you is cool.” Yuri was taken aback but quickly recollected himself “What’s with calling me by name all of a sudden instead of teacher? Did it lose its lustre?”   

“No it’s just that since I can’t be your apprentice anymore I’ll just be your friend! And friends call each other by their first names isn’t that correct?” Sora patted Yuri on his shoulders “No! Touch me again and it’ll be the last thing you’ll ever do!” Yuri ranted as Shuzo came bursting into the room “So since your Yuri’s friend does that mean you’ll be joining our school!” Sora thought for moment “Yeah why not! This place is more interesting than LDS anyway!” Shuzo fist pumped “Yes! I’ll go get the paperwork!” He left the room over joyed as the kids entered “If you’re not an LDS student than how do you know how to fusion summon?” Yuri placed his index fingers together as the kids prodded Sora for information “Fusion is normal where I come from!” Yuri immediately perked up _‘This settles it this boy is from Academia but why and how did he get here…’_

“Do you know who I am? They call me…” Demil came swaying into the room singing “Do you know my name?!” He activated his disk “JUDGEMENT!” Everyone was shocked, Sora in particular _‘Yali? No it isn’t him his hair and Eye colour is different’_

Demil was snarling his voice at a low growl “Evil must be deleted and my path continues here! I challenge the two of you to a duel!” Shuzo came back into the room and Demil quickly pounced on his unawareness “You! Start the field now! Otherwise you’ll never see the light of day again!” But Shuzo didn’t budge “I won’t let you continue you rampage on my students!” The kids questioned Shuzo further “Rampage? Just who is he?” Shuzo was going to open his mouth only to be interrupted by Demil “I’ll explain…” He eyed every person “You’ll think I’m crazy if you don’t hear it from my mouth.” He sighed and flicked his overhang up showing briefly his right eye but it was too fast to see any definite details. “I’m what you may consider a criminal.” An expression of pure shock was on everyone’s face “EH! Criminal!!!” Demil waved his hand gesturing for everyone to quiet “Calm down! I’m not the type you are thinking of! I punish those people!”

Yuri wasn’t convinced in the slightest “What makes you think that we’ll believe you?” Demil was apprehensive at best but decide to continue “I suppose I’ll take the story from the top, it all started seven years ago...”

**(Seven Years ago)**

“Dad? Where are you going?” A young Demil tugged his father’s trouser leg, Demil’s father was a man in his mid-thirties with shoulder length jet black hair he was sharply dressed in a green business suit and he was carrying a black briefcase. He turned his head down to his son smiling softly “Demil…” He bent down and took Demil onto his shoulder “I’m just going on business, there is a person I need to help in his quest to rid the world of evil.”

_‘I greatly admired my father and his work as a prosecution lawyer, I saw him as a crusader fighting against a never ending stream of evil taking them out one judgement at the time or “deletion” as he put it.’ [1]_

“Demil.” His father dropped him to the floor as he took a card out of his briefcase handing it over to a curious Demil “I know of your love of duel monsters so I spent some time looking for the perfect card to give to you and I think I found it.” The card was in pristine condition it depicted a grey feathered dragon with red claws standing against a background of ruins. The monster was Level 8 and had 3000 attack points, Demil’s father was correct the card would be the very embodiment of his ideals and his soul “Judgment Dragon…” He held the card close to his chest as he beamed to his father as his shoulders were cupped “Let that card define who you are, your ideals, your beliefs _and your judgement._ ” His father opened the door and stepped out saying “I’ll be back soon…”As the door closed behind him.

_‘My father never did come back, I stood there waiting hoping that he would soon step back through the door. When I learnt of his fate my world came crashing down around me. I had already lost my mother at age two and now my father, my hero was gone and there was nothing I could do about it my hands became constricted and my body was paralysed with fear, what if I was next? What was going to happen to me now that both my parents were gone? I was unable to think clearly. My worst fears were realised when a few officials came round taking me away to an orphanage the only thing I was able to take before I left for the last time was a white notebook…’_

**(Five years later)**    

A twelve year old Demil sat hunched over in a corner as the kids about him dueled.

“With no monsters left on the field I special summon Dark magician and attack your life points directly! Good game!” the boy said as his opponent threw his cards down on the table “No fair! You’re too good at this game!” The victor rubbed the back of his head as he laughed “I’m only as good as the cards I have any way you really pushed me in that match you had me on the ropes for most of it.”

Another match also finished not too far away from Demil. “I attack directly with my Elemental Hero Neos dropping your life points to zero and giving me the match two to nothing! That m-”

“Demil…” Demil looked up to see the keeper staring down at him “Why aren’t you having fun with the others.” She looked at him sincerely as her eyes softened and a smile curled its way onto her face. He eyed each person individual muttering “Evil…Evil…Evil.” The keeper was concerned “Demil it’s not good to be that cynical you need to loosen up and enjoy your life. Demil scowled “Two things, first I’m not cynical I’m being diplomatic and second my life is judgement I pass justice on those who rot the world.” He clutched Judgment Dragon which he kept by him at all times “Just as my father attempted before me I’ll rid this world of evil people! No matter how it’s done! The ends justify the means!” His outburst had caught the attention of the other kids in the room as they all stared at him muttering and whispering.

“There he goes again…” One whispered.

“Who does he think he is saying he has the right to judge us…”Another muttered.    

“He’s just as crazy as his father…” A third one said unaware that he said loudly.

“WHO WAS THAT!!!?” Demil shouted as the boy was shoved to the front of the congregation “M-me.” He said scared and afraid of the consequences of his action. Soon Demil’s fist was deep in the boy’s gut, his pupils so small that they were barely visible. “Demil! Get off him now!” The keeper dragged Demil away restricting his movements as he flailed his arms, screamed and kicked his legs wildly “I am Judgement! He has been judged and the punishment must be dealt!” He was soon himself hit by the keeper “You are nothing more than a lunatic! I’ve put up with your so called “Judgements” for long enough! Do you want hear my judgement of you?!” Demil struggled to shake his head which was constricted now by a swarm of kids desperate to get their own back “As soon as I heard that you were the son of that man I was hesitant but hoped I would be able to change your views but every time I tried you only hardened and became even more determined in your goal!” She nodded to a kid as he opened the front door “I’ll punish you right here right now!” He was slowly dragged by the swarm and the keeper to the door way. Unable to move Demil lay back and accepted his fate. He was thrown out of the door as everyone crowded the door into pouring rain “You’ll never step foot in this place ever again!” The door was shut and Demil sat stewing.

**(Two years later but not present time)**

“Demil your match is soon.” A dark skinned man said as Demil lazed about on a sofa not interested in anything “I know that! Bite me.” The man growled at the blue and green haired boy’s laziness “Just because your king of the dueling underworld doesn’t mean you can be a lazy bastard! You’ve got to work hard to protect your crown!” Demil just rolled over being uncooperative “I don’t have to work have you seen my opponents? I’ve beaten some of them with my eye closed! I even beat one with one hand tied behind my back!” His voice was muffled by the cushion his face was buried deep in “If you’re not careful someone will have your other eye.” Demil grunted as he returned to sitting properly “And if you’re not careful you could be on the receiving end of some divine judgement! Plus,” He flicked his overhang up and sure enough down the right side of his face was a long claw like scar, his right eye was severely damaged the iris was completely white “just because I only have one eye people like you think you can use that as leverage over me. I think you know perfectly why that will never work on me.” The man grumbled as he left “You’ve got five minutes ‘King’ don’t disappoint.”

“Who the hell does that mong think he is?” Demil leant back as he went through his thoughts “Judgement now!” He stuck his thumb down. He then sat by himself, he’d been doing this for just over a year at first it was fun as he was finally able to test himself but that challenge soon subsided and he only stayed because during his tenure at the top his word had become the law this perhaps was the only way he could carry out his ideals.

_‘Demil…’_

“Huh?” the voice startled Demil as he began to look around the room for the source “Who’s there?”

_‘Down here Demil…’_ The voice beckoned him as glow began to emanate from his pocket.

“Judgment Dragon why are you glowing?” Sure enough his favourite card was glowing a bright white. _‘For someone who prides themselves on their judgement you’re quite slow to notice things in front of your face.’_ The card brightened even further as a spiritual albeit a smaller version of Judgement Dragon appeared in front of him. “You’re- you’re real!” Demil’s body shook half excited, half petrified “How is this possible? Am I hallucinating?”

“No you’re not Demil, I’m real…To a certain extent.” Demil thoughts flashed back to a myth he had heard when he was younger _‘Duel monsters have souls.’_ “I don’t know what to say…”

“Then I’ll say it for you, I’m real and I tell you something this is the first I’ve ever revealed my being to a human.”

“What does this mean then?”

“I really caught you off hand didn’t I? It means you are the only person during my existence that I consider worthy of working with.”

“Working with?”

“Yes your sense of justice and your ability to find and deal with those that pollute this world are by far the greatest I’ve ever come across! You will be the person that carries this world along with me into a place where the people pure at heart will no longer fear the wicked!”

“That…I’d love to do that but…” Demil’s head dropped “Every time I try the world only spits back at me! I lost an eye trying to cleanse this world of sin! It’s just not worth it anymore!” Tears dripped from his only working eye as JD looked on sadly “Demil…” the one-eyed boy brought his head back up “If you work alone the world will just chew you up and spit you back out just like you said but together we can cleanse this world of sin!”

“Do you really think so?” Demil’s eye was still watering as he made his statement “Yes I do Demil. Take this underground for example during your time here at the top the only incident that happened was the unfortunate one that happened with your eye truly we can make the world a better place for all. Now make sure you wipe away your tears the king can’t be seen to have been crying.” The spirit of JD faded back into the card as Demil wiped away the last of his tears with his sleeve “Five minutes is up its time to assert myself onto this world of rot!” He made his way from his room to the arena below.

The voices of the waiting crowd could be heard as he walked through the tunnels stopping to wait for his Que. “People of the dueling underworld please welcome to the fray your king!” The announcer said to the roar of the crowd, a camera in the tunnel showed Demil on the screen behind the announcer “Demil! Demil! Demil!” The crowd chanted as Demil took this as his que to begin his infamous song. “Do you know who I am? Do you know my name?” He emerged out of tunnel shouting the last part “JUDGEMENT!”

**(Present time) (Flashback end)**

“So there is my story,” Demil said inserting his hands into his pockets “Any questions?” Everyone bar Yuri and Shuzo raised their hand. Demil sighed “Okay one at a time. You there the pink haired one what is it?” Yuzu took her time debating whether or not to say it but ultimately went for it “You said people consider you a criminal but during that entire story the only questionable thing you did was hit that boy why is it that you are judged as a criminal?” Everyone including Demil blinked or in his case winked rapidly “That is certainly a deep and thought provoking question. Time for me to give an unsatisfying answer!” The whole room collectively fell over as Demil carried on “I’ll leave you with this to chew on I wasn’t in the underworld out of choice. Next question, if it’s about me being able to talk to JD’s spirit put your hands down I don’t know how I can talk to him.” Everyone but Sora dropped their hands “The blue haired fusion boy what do you want?” Sora grinned placing a lollipop in his mouth “If you’re the so-called king of the underworld what are you doing here and not there?” Demil’s eye narrowed “Funny you should ask considering my challenge is still out there for you to take. If you want to know what I am doing here duel me and if you win you’ll learn my ambition, if you lose then I won’t tell simple as. Do we have a deal?” He stuck his hand out as Sora shook it confident of his victory.

“You.” Demil’s finger was jabbed in Yuri’s face “I know you, your Yuri ‘Sakaki’ I’ve heard a lot about you and your infamous pendulum summon.” Yuri who had been tuned out the entire question time was caught completely off guard “I’m sorry but say again, how’d know about my pendulum cards if you’ve been in the underworld this entire time.” Demil deadpanned “You’re forgetting I’m king of said underworld, I have certain perks others don’t have such as access to a stream of informants telling me about new developments in the dueling world so that I can keep in touch.”

“So why are you singling me and this pest over here out? Do you have something against fusion users like him and I?”

“No I don’t have something against you. I just want to see your strength with my own eye. So what do you say Yuri? Deal or no deal?”

“Hmmm.” Yuri stuck his finger under his chin drawing his thought process comically long “Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm.” Much to Demil’s dismay “Hurry up and make up your mind I haven’t got all day!”

“Fine, I’ll take your offer”

“We’ll duel under irregular tag duel rules you’ll share a field and 4000 life points while I have the same.”

Soon the action field came into being around them as the field declaration was made “Action field Realm of Light on!” The shining utopia appeared as Demil struggled not to laugh out loud “Thanks a lot you mong! This is my specialist field!” Yuri grumbled “Well done Shuzo that is the second worst thing you’ve done today.” He looked over to Demil “You know the action duel chant don’t you?” Demil nodded as the chant was begun.

“Duelists locked in battle!”

“Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!”

“They storm through this field! Behold!”

“This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! ACTION…DUEL!

Yuri and Sora: 4000 LP            Demil: 4000 LP          Cards x5

Yuri began “I’ll start off slow again I set one monster face down and one card to my backrow then end my turn.” Sora turned to his partner “Seriously? The same tactic again?” He pouted as he began his turn “I draw, I start by activating the continuous spell Toy Vendor.” Yuri side eyed Sora “And you criticise me for starting off the same, people in glass houses Sora.” Sora harrumphed many harrumphs as he continued “I send Fluffal wings in my hand to the graveyard to draw one card and now I special summon Fluffal Bear.” _Level 3 (1200/800)._ “Now I normal summon Fluffal Leo then end my turn by setting one card face down!” The monster and facedown appeared as Demil grinned “I’ll show you the power of the king of the underworld! I draw! I activate the Spell Solar Recharge! By discarding one Lightsworn monster I can draw two cards but then I must send the top two cards of my deck to the graveyard!” Wulf the Lightsworn Beast was sent along with two other cards after Demil drew. His archetype drew questions from the kids “Lightsworn?” Futoshi asked “I’ve never heard of those cards before.” Shuzo replied to him “They are a rare archetype in of in itself and their ace even rarer, it relies on a quick finish due to all of the cards have effects which sends cards from the users deck to the graveyard at the end of the player’s turn however many of them have effects that activate there so the only thing that really matter is decking out.”

“Since I milled a Wulf his effect activates although this card can’t be summoned normally when it is sent to the graveyard by a card effect he is summoned automatically.” _Level 4 ( **2100** /300) _the kids watched in awe “He’s not even begun his turn fully and yet he already has a 2100 attack point monster.” Demil cocked his head towards the watchers “Don’t be impressed just yet children! Watch closely as I now summon Lumina, the Lightsworn Summoner!” A tanned woman wearing a pure white robe with balls of blue energy on both her hands appeared next to Wulf. _Level 3 ( **1000** /1000)._ “Lumina’s effect I send one card form my hand to the graveyard and special summon one level four or lower Lightsworn monster from my graveyard. I drop Celestia, Lightsworn Angel to the graveyard to summon back the Wulf I sent to the graveyard earlier for the cost of Solar Recharge.” Another Wulf came into being and stood beside its duplicate. “Battle! Wulf number 1 vanquish that Fluffal bear!” A vicious swipe tore the stuffed bear apart.

YS (4000 – 3100)

“Wulf number 2 tear apart Fluffal Leo!” Sora was just about able to swipe a nearby action card

“I activate the action card evasion your monster’s attack is negated!”

“Fine delay your inevitable demise through any means necessary I place the last two cards in my hand facedown and Lumina’s effect sends the top three cards of my deck to the graveyard , now let’s see if you are worthy to stand before me!”

“That’s one big head you got there mind toning it down I’m not in the mood to deal with it.” Yuri said as he looked towards Sora, Demil rubbed the back of his head laughing “Sorry. Guess I’m still in character.” Yuri sighed as he drew, honestly things were just getting stranger and stranger he was pretty sure he had seen this person the other day with Sora but neither seemed to know each other. “I activate Polymerization fusing together Predaplant Stapelia Worm in my hand and the Predaplant Moray Nepenthes I now flip face up! I fusion summon! Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!” Yuri’s poisonous ace was now on the field making him fully confident he could over run this ‘king’.

_‘I just need to activate this facedown and this duel will be over…’_ Demil thought as reached to trigger one of his face downs _‘Do not activate that card!’_ a shrill voice pierced his ear drums _‘Your purpose was to track down Sora and then challenge him, making sure to record  his every move I didn’t authorise you dueling Yuri.’_ Demil sneered under his breath “I know but you never told me he was fusion too! Plus too finally drag me out of the underworld only to use as an enforcer doesn’t particularly endear me to you now does it?” The voice hardened _‘You are to only drag this duel out for as long as it takes me to be absolutely certain of Sora’s affiliation, you are not allowed to reveal your full power yet.’_ Demil grunted and swore but didn’t resist “Fine.”

“Starve Venom gains the attack of one special summoned monster on the field and it’ll gain the attack of one of your Wulfs.”

Starve Venom (2800 – 4900)

“Battle! Starve Venom attack Lumina!”

“Hold it! I activate the effect of Necro Guardna from my graveyard I banish this monster to stop your monster’s attack!” A small armoured beast jumped in the way of the attack preventing Lumina’s destruction and shielding Demil’s life points. “Good.” Yuri said as he placed a card facedown “I was hoping that this wouldn’t be the end.”

“I’ll take it from here! I too activate polymerization fusing together Fluffal Dog and Edge Imp Sabres! I fusion summon! Level 6! Frightfur Wolf!” _Level 6 ( **2000** /1500)._

Demil once again began to froth at the mouth with the sight of two fusion monsters on the field. “Delete…Delete…Delete!” The voice entered his ear again _‘Demil Kaimia! If you start anything I will personally come down there and drag you back down to the underworld!’_ The mere utterance of his last name nearly caused him to lose it then and there but he was snapped out of it by Sora declaring his attack “Frightfur Wolf can attack for the amount of materials used to fusion summon it and with the help of the action card Power crystal it gains eight hundred attack points to add to its assault.” Frightfur Wolf charged down Lumina ripping her in half with the scissors in its chest.

Demil (4000 – 2200)

“Attack number two take out one of his Wulfs!”

Demil (2200 – 1400)

“It’s odd” Yuzu said from the side lines attracting the attention of the others “Before the match Demil said that this was his specialist field but he has made no attempt to utilise it…”

“He can only do so much.” Tatsyua pointed out the obvious fact “He’s only got one eye it’s possible that he’s unable to fully scope the field and card positions with just his left eye.”

“He also seems to be talking to someone, he’s been muttering for the past minute or so…” Sure enough if they looked close enough Demil’s mouth was moving as the last of his conversation with the voice was happening “Tiocfaidh ár lá [2]. I’d rather go back to the underworld than be your pawn! End of!”

“I end my turn, now let’s see how strong you really are ‘king’.” Demil laughed quietly at first “Hehe…Hehee…” Before it turned into a full blown cackle “HAHAHAHAHAHAHAHAHA! HAHAHAAH!” His pupil shrunk as his eye colour changed from yellow to a deep red “You want to see my strength do you? Well then! I’ll show you why I’m the king also known as the punishment dragon! I draw!” He looked and burst into another fit “You’re finished! Since I have four or more Lightsworn monsters in my graveyard I call upon the most powerful monster in my possession! Power born of light and dark visit your judgement on this world of filth! Appear the very embodiment of my soul and ideals! Descend now! Judgment Dragon!” Demil’s ace let out a deafening roar shaking the entire foundation of the school. “Judgment Dragon’s effect by paying 1000 life points it destroys every other card on the field!”

Demil (1400 – 400)

“What?!” Sora shouted alarmed as he bit down on his lollipop, Yuri’s jaw dropped as well.

“What a powerful effect!” Shuzo declared as Judgment Dragon cleared the field.

“Battle! Judgment Dragon unleash your wrath! Judgement Ray!” The beam of white energy shot from Judgment Dragon’s mouth knocked both Yuri and Sora off their feet injuring the latter badly.

YS (3100 – 100)

“This is over! I banish Lightsworn lance from my graveyard to activate its effect when Judgment Dragon deals you damage I banish this card to dish out pain equivalent to the amount of Lightsworn monsters with different names in my graveyard x100!” The white Lance came out of the graveyard portal as it began to charge “I’ll do the maths for you that equals five hundred points of damage!” The lance finished charging and flew towards its targets “Judgement! N-” Suddenly a man knocked Demil to the ground terminating the duel just before the lance had the chance to severely injure anyone.

“Demil Kaimia! You’re under arrest!” Demil struggled as he tried to fight off the man but he was too strong and he was eventually handcuffed. His eye colour returned to normal as he felt a dark fog descend off him “What’s going on?” Looking at his handcuffs he quickly figured out what had happened “I lost control again didn’t I? You should tell your boss not to anger me so much.” The man shook him violently “Shut up you scum of the earth! You were lucky he even dragged you out of the underworld in the first place! Now you have the nerve to criticise him! You’ll be in there for the foreseeable future!” Everyone watched on as Demil was pushed out the front door and then shoved into the back of a massive black car, “Don’t worry. I’m just going with this _lovely_ gentleman back to my home in the underworld. Till we met again.” With that the car sped off into the distance.

**(Leo Corporation) (Later)**

“Out!” The car door was swung open as Demil eyed his surroundings “What am I doing here? I thought I told your boss to leave me alone.” The man yanked a cantankerous Demil out of the car and towards the president’s office. “He wants to speak to you face to face, why he’d want to speak to a criminal like you is beyond me.” It was silent for a minute all that was heard was the metal of Demil’s handcuffs [3] knocking together “I’ve told you before my ‘criminal’ record is grossly exaggerated nothing I did was wrong it was all in the name of justice and a better world. Also…” the man was shocked to see Demil effortlessly slip out of the handcuffs proceeding then to knock him to the floor and dangle the cuffs in front of his face “You need to work on your handcuffing, that was far too easy to slip out of.” He sprinted to get out of the building as the man raised the alarm _‘No! I’m not going back! I finally got out and there is no way some grey haired twat is sending me back to that place!’_

**(You Show)**

“Yuri are you alright?” Yuzu said as she saw Yuri being treated for his wounds. “’I’m fine Yuzu it’s just scratch nothing major. It seems his attack was mainly focused on Sora.” Yuzu looked over to see Sora in a much worse state just barely conscious “Yuzu are you alright? You look sad.” Yuzu placed her hands together “I’m just thinking.” Yuri smirked “Is this about Yuya again?” Yuzu nodded “It was Demil talking about his past, what he went through after losing his father was similar to what I felt when Yuya went missing but unlike him I had someone else come along and replace him,” Yuri smiled slightly reddening “but just like Demil it’s possible that something bad happened to Yuya as well.” Yuri retreated into his own thoughts _‘Sora said fusion was normal where he came from. Fusion is a special course put up by LDS it’s highly unlikely he is from here the only place I know fusion to be normal is Academia, since I appeared the same night that Yuya disappeared it’s possible that we’ve switched places and he is currently at Academia._ ’

“Hey!” Yuri and Yuzu both looked to see Demil panting in the doorway “Do you mind hiding me for a while, I’m kind of on the run here.”

“Demil Kaimia! Come out here!” A voice shouted startling the three as Demil began to plead “Please just hide me until they get off my back, I can’t go back!” Yuri and Yuzu were perplexed at Demil’s sudden change in behaviour from the king of the underworld nearly severely injuring Yuri and badly damaging Sora to someone paralysed with the fear of being sent to the place he was the head of, “I don’t know Demil given how you were about to end our duel I’m inclined to let you get caught.” Demil tensed “Go raibh míle maith agat!” Demil saw the vacant expressions around him “If you’re wondering its Gaelic Irish so Póg mo thóin!”[4]

Yuzu butted into the dispute “Come on Yuri just let him hide.” Yuri sighed not happy at doing this “Fine! Demil come with me.” Yuri tensed as he stood up still under some pain but he carried through _‘I’ll chalk this down as one of the worst days of my life’_

**(Leo Corp)**

“Mr President,” Nakajima addressed the grey haired teen “it appears that Demil Kaimia has escaped capture. Do you want me to send more men to try and catch him?”

“No Nakajima leave him be, I think its best that he has time to acquaint himself with Yuri and for him to readjust to living outside the underworld.”

“Understood sir.” Nakajima said leaving the room.

Demil’s face appeared on a screen on the president’s desk showing his profile as well, “Demil Kaimia, age: fourteen, deck: Lightsworn, residence: unknown has temporary living conditions in the underworld dueling arena, Pseudonyms: The Punishment Dragon and Judgement (preferred), win rate: 100%, Notable information: Only has one working eye and has an extensive criminal record.”

“Demil Kaimia,” the president smirked “We can definitely use him. He’ll make a fine lancer.”

Soon another picture appeared beside Demil’s that of Yali “Now…What relation do these two have?”

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I had to insert the dark magician meme. Sorry!  
> I highly recommend not even attempting to try and say the Irish Demil says here for two reasons. One you’ll just sound stupid and two some of it isn’t very polite.  
> Notes:  
> [1] He is talking out of the flashback.  
> [2] Its pronounced Chucky-r-la and I really do recommend on not saying it  
> [3] Not the ones used in the Synchro arc, closer to real life ones  
> [4] I won’t tell you how to say it but I’ll tell you that it means kiss my ass


	9. The XYZ infection Dragon

“Yuri who is this?” Yoko pointed towards a paranoid Demil who during the journey had used his jacket to cover his face forcing him to place his trust in Yuri. “Are they gone?” he said as his eye darted from side to side when he was sure the coast was clear he threw his jacket to the floor and collapsed against a nearby wall “Thank God. I’ll mark that down as successful escape number 10 out of 50.” Yuri sighed “Mother, this is Demil Kaimia h-” Yoko immediately pulled Yuri aside “What was his last name again?!” Yuri gulped he’d rarely seen his mum this angry “Kaimia…Is something wrong with that name?”

“I don’t want a Kaimia anywhere near you or in my house as a matter of fact!”

Demil heard this and brought his head off the wall to shout “Téigh trasna ort féin! If it was up to me I wouldn’t be here but desperate times call for desperate measures!” Yoko rolled up one of Yuri’s sleeves and saw one of the many scars laden on him by Judgment Dragon’s attack, “What happened here? Did you do this to him?” Yoko snapped glaring at Demil as he went on the attack “Yes I did.”

Yoko narrowed her and stood up against Demil cracking her knuckles “A Kaimia is not welcome here and for what you did to my son I’ll give you your comeuppance!”

Demil snorted “Believe me does me no great pleasure to be in the house of a Sakaki plus I barely remember what happened to Yuri I only came to when I was arrested for the second time that day and before you say anything I was placed under arrest coming out of the underworld because in their words ‘We can’t take any chances’.” Both shaped each other up and looked ready to fight until Yuri broke them apart.

“Mother, I get the feeling that you don’t like his family but he has done nothing wrong to you and he didn’t hurt me badly.”

Yoko sighed and retreated to the table gesturing for Yuri and Demil to follow “It’s just that since Yuya disappeared I kept telling myself that I wouldn’t let anything bad happen to you Yuri and when I heard his name seeing those scars I lost it.” She burst into tears as Yuri comforted his adoptive mother

“Don’t worry about me I’m more than capable of protecting myself and don’t blame yourself for Yuya’s disappearance it happened out of your control.” Yuri thought separately to what his out was saying _‘I won’t tell her my deduction on Yuya’s whereabouts until I’m 100% sure.’_

**(The next day)**

“Demil! Demil!” Yuri shook Demil, the underworld king was currently completely passed out on the back of a chair in Yuri’s room with his jacket half covering his face. Nothing was getting through to him soon Yuri left to collect a wooden spoon and a metal pot not long afterwards both were right beside Demil’s ear _‘Bang! Bang!’_  Demil jolted up “Ahhh!” Demil groggily looked up to see Yuri laughing over the top of him.

“Oh you bastard. You’re lucky I’m forced to restrain myself.” Demil slid his jacket down his face as his eye readjusted to the light, Yuri spoke to him mockingly “Sorry…Did I wake up the king? I feel awfully sorry?” Demil sneered as he attempted to re-fix his hair “Sarcasm is the lowest form of wit,” his hair still refused to co-operate “by the way do you have any hair gel? I can’t go around looking as I do now. It’s demeaning.”

“You really act like a king don’t you?”

“Yes and no”

“What do you mean yes and no? That’s an oxymoron.”

“I mean yes as in that’s how people wished for me to act and I’ve sort of grown into the character but no as in if I let my true personality and feelings out, I wouldn’t be at the top much longer and I would make a lot of very powerful enemies.”

“There should be some gel in the bathroom just over there go knock yourself out.”

“Thanks.”

While Demil was busy in the bathroom Yuri decided to look through Demil’s strewn jacket because why the hell not he thought. Digging through the pockets of the jacket Yuri made an interesting find, he pulled out a plain white notebook similar to but not the same one Demil had taken out the previous day. Yuri was certain that this was different as he saw a white notebook still lying on the floor of you show as he and Demil left.

_‘Why is he carrying around two identical notebooks?’_ Yuri began to flip through the pages nothing out of the ordinary came up, it was all very mundane stuff about the ‘judgements’ that Demil had made during the past year however one page caught his attention.

_‘Finally I’m out of the underworld! But it has come at a cost I’ve had to effectively relinquish my free will to that Reiji Akaba and become one of his pawns in his little game otherwise he’ll send me right back down and there is no way I’m going back now, the weirdest part of the meeting with him (apart from being handcuffed to the desk, bit excessive) was when I found out that there was another individual that shared my face, he was currently hospitalised and in his possession was a black notebook which con-’_  

Yuri heard Demil’s footsteps and quickly fumbled the notebook back into Demil’s jacket as he questioned him on his sudden rapid movements.

“What were you doing?”

“Nothing.”

Demil swept his Jacket off the ground and tied it around his waist.

“You shouldn’t go rummaging through people’s belongings and I think its best that you don’t go through my notebook…No-one should know what I know and quite frankly it isn’t very polite to do so.”

“Yuri! Your breakfast is ready and Kaimia! I want you to stay far away from my son during the day.” Yoko shouted from downstairs.

“Yes, mother.”

“I have a first name you know! It’s Demil!”

“I didn’t know animals had a first name!”

“Hark who is talking! You were a former gang leader! So get down off your high horse!”

“Former being the key word Kaimia!”

“Gang leader being the most important words!”

_‘Oh God…Why did I let Yuzu talk me into hiding this guy.’_

 

Meeting outside with Yuzu later Yuri affirmed this point “Seriously Yuzu why did I let you talk me into hiding Demil I mean the guy is a walking nightmare he spent a good fifteen minutes arguing with my mother.” Yuzu replied “Yuri I thought you were raised better than that to just let a person in need of help laying there and you do know that said nightmare is currently no more than five footsteps behind you.” Yuri turned to see Demil almost breathing down his neck “Jesus! Do you know anything about personal space?!” Demil scowled “Of course I do I was raised to a good standard it’s just that I chose not to follow them sometimes.”

 

**(Leo Corp)**

 

Yuto stood in a dark alleyway observing the building in front of him, he carefully held up a LDS badge _‘I’ll find you Ruri and that is a promise,’_ he then took out the page that he had ripped from Yali’s notebook two days ago _‘that bastard! For just how long has he been pulling the_ strings _and how can I be sure that I’m not playing right into his hands?’_ Yuto shook his head and tucked the page away _‘I can’t let him in my head that’s how he won the last time, I’ve got to stay focused on the task at hand.’_

“Has it finally sunk in yet?” Yuto would recognise that monotone voice anywhere “The feeling of sorrow, the feeling of you could’ve done more to save her, the feeling of worthlessness.” The toneless voice belonged to a lopsided fourteen year old boy who was standing slumped in the corner of the alley his face covered by his mask “You are just like Yali, you’re snide, conniving and a meticulous planner.” Yuto spat at the boy “I’m nothing like that traitor Yuto just because I share his face doesn’t mean were are one and the same also that’s no way to greet your friend. It hurts me to know you think that way about me.”

 

“Yet what you went and did leans no credibility to your statement.” The boy staggered out of the shadows although there was a mask covering his face his eyes did bear a resemblance towards Demil and Yali. Unlike Demil however the boy had two working eyes both of which were an emerald green “You can’t convict me of any wrongdoing anything is legal in war plus your lot aren’t exactly cleared of doing any wrong, when I first turned up you attacked me mistaking me for him even though there are distinct differences in our appearance plus you tried to steal this from me.” The boy held up a red notebook similar to the ones Yali and Demil carried with them “You and Shun nearly tore me in two trying to get your hands on this.” Yuto sighed and took a closer look at the person the resistance had cast out not too long ago. He had slick backed black hair with gold-yellow bangs swept around the back forming a stinger like design amply earning him the codename bumblebee a name he wasn’t fond of. He wore a tattered dull green jacket, a drab grey shirt, a nearly destroyed choker around his neck, a small yellow crystal earing in his left ear, tied across the entirety of his right arm was a red bandage which he wore during his time in the resistance that even though he had been cast out of the organisation he still refused to take it off. He wore a full face ceramic mask that was remarkably similar to what a plague doctor would’ve worn beak and all, the only part of his face that was visible was his emerald eyes and he had on him a pair of black jeans loosely held together by a dusty yellow belt and he wore a pair of pointed grey boots.

 

“I’m not interested in speaking to you, I’ve got more pressing matters to deal with and Shun’s about here somewhere why don’t you go bother him.” The outcast sighed and re-fixed his mask “You know what’ll happen if I go talk to him Yuto, if you were so hostile to seeing me just imagine what Shun would do.” Yuto thought back to what happened with Shun and Yali and relented “Fair point. But how did you get here and what ever happened to you? Ever since we threw you out you practically disappeared off the face of Heartland and no one ever saw you again. We thought you had ended up getting carded.”

 

“Did my reputation really tank that hard you thought I’d be carded by those fusion scum? That’s just plain offensive to my skills. I mean my ace can effectively cripple their entire deck. For how I got here it was much the same how you got here I stole the disk of one fusioner not too long after I heard you left for standard, I followed you the next day and today I finally found you. As for what happened to me after I was cast out that is a long story that I think you don’t have time for.” Yuto looked at the pin then at the plague doctor “I think I’ll entertain myself with your story go ahead.”    

 

**(Xyz Dimension)**

 

“You’ve finally showed yourself.” An eyepatch wearing male asked to the boy wearing the plague doctor mask in front of him “Did you finally get tired of hiding and running away? I don’t blame you if you did.” The boy removed his mask still not saying a word “So the elusive Evilswarm master finally shows us his face. I’d have respect for you if you came out and fought in the open but you choose to use tactics of cowardice, I can’t endorse that it’s not how you fight a battle properly.” The boy tapped his foot impatiently “I don’t care about your opinion on warfare Barrett I’ll conduct my war how I want. Also cut the chat I plan to be out of here in ten minutes so let’s get this over with.” Barrett readied his disk “I’ll be the first one in all of Academia to finally best you in the field of battle.” The boy scowled and threw out his left arm revealing and activating a yellow disk “You have absolutely no chance fusion scum I’ll cripple your entire deck before you even get a chance to begin.”

 

**“Duel!”** Both shouted.

 

Barrett: 4000 LP             Unknown: 4000 LP                       Cards x5

 

“I’ll start Xyz Scum! I activate the continuous spell Beastborg fusioner! Using it I can fusion summon one Beastborg fusion monster using monsters on my field or on my hand! I use it to fuse together Panther Warrior and Dark Sentinel!” The two monsters rose up into the swirling red and blue vortex behind Barrett “My new monster will take the savagery of a jungle predator with the attack strength of a high-tech combat machine! I fusion summon the most dangerous mercenary you’ve ever faced! Level 6! Beastborg Panther Predator!” A mechanised panther with a teal cape and gold-hilted broadsword appeared in front of Barrett. _Level 6 ( **1600** /2000)._

 

“The pestilence is here in the form of that monster that just like the plague will not go away.”

 

“I activate the effect of Panther Predator you take damage equal to half its current attack points.” The circle on the monsters chest began to charge “Take this! 800 points of damage!” A red beam was unleased and struck the former resistance member in the gut, knocking him back across the ground causing him to nearly lose his balance falling to one knee.

 

Unknown (4000 – 3200)

 

Barret smirked slyly “I knew it. You’re weak, it stains my honour to fight against an opponent that is ill but you are an insult to honour so I will enjoy crushing you. I’ll stop here it’s your turn Plague Doctor.” 

 

The boy struggled to stand doing so just barely, swaying as he began his move “My turn and the start of the never ending infection begins Barrett! I summon Evilswarm Castor!” A hellish looking knight cladded in grey and black amour appeared on the boy’s field _Level 4 ( **1750** /550)_, “Castor grants me an additional normal summon this turn and with it I’ll summon **Evilswarm Contaminated Roach**!” A smaller infected version of Steelswarm Roach appeared next to castor _Level 4 (1250/50)._

 

“Contaminated Roach’s effect activates! When it is normal or special summoned I can add one ‘Infection’ or ‘Infestation’ spell or trap to my hand! I add the continuous spell **Crawling infection** which I now activate!” Crawling infection’s art depicted Castor, Kerykeion and Contamination roach running away from a pool of a black liquid which was grasping at Castor’s feet. “One per turn Crawling infection lets me summon one level four or lower ‘Evilswarm’ monster at the cost of 500 life points! I summon Evilswarm Kerykeion!” _Level 4 ( **1600** /1550)._ Soon after Kerykeion hit the field a dark mist emerged out of Crawling infection engulfing the boy as he screamed in pain.

 

Unknown (3200 – 2700)

 

“I’ve heard about your multiple summon combos, it tends to be something the resistance specialise in. But I’ve heard you’re no longer part of any branch of the resistance isn’t that right? They cast you out because of your underhanded dealings.”

 

The boy sneered “Deals are Deals and it doesn’t matter if they are underhanded, I made them and followed through with them. They were fine with my dealings until they saw the fine print. But that’s not what we are here to do, I overlay my Level 4 Evilswarm Castor and Level 4 Evilswarm Contaminated Roach! With these two monsters I build the overlay network! I bring to the field a pestilence the likes of which the world has never seen! Xyz summon! Rank 4! Evilswarm Ophion!” Ophion let out a roar as it stretched his wings and flexed his tail as two purple orbs began to float around him _Rank 4 ( **2550** /1650) ( **OLU: 2** )_.

 

Barrett smirked “So you let your ace out of the bag first turn. You really don’t like to stick around do you?” The boy had on him a sardonic smile “I’ve forgotten what it means to settle down it’s hard to do so when you have an entire army trying to pinpoint your whereabouts. I’m constantly on the move trying to avoid being seen by two organisations that hate me.”

 

“So why of all times do you choose now, not only have you given away your position but now you’ve also given away your face,” Barrett took a closer look at the Evilswarm duelist’s face “say you look like Yali-sama, any relation?”

 

The boy’s face contorted into anger “I’m nothing like that traitor and I certainly have no relation to someone from your pitiful dimension!” Ophion seemingly growled in agreement with its master there was another difference in the relation, the Xyz duelist had multiple dark veins throbbing on his face which only got worse as he began his next move.

 

“I activate Ophion’s special ability! I use one overlay unit to add to my hand one infestation spell or trap card. The card I choose is the quick play spell Infestation Pandemic!” The throbbing got worse as the teen gripped his face tightly, his conscious swiftly fading _‘I can’t go yet! I have to hold out for at least five minutes!’_

 

“Evilswarm Ophion! Attack Beastborg Panther Warrior! Infestation Infection epidemic!”

 

Barrett (4000 – 3050)

 

Barrett smirked again as the Xyz duelist fell to one knee for the second time “It seems your time I running out.” The boy ignored this comment “I set three cards face down and end my turn! This’ll be your last turn so make it count!”          

 

“I draw! I play the effect of the continuous spell Beastborg Fusioner! Using this cards effect I fusion summon a Beastborg fusion monster using monsters in my hand or on my field! I fuse Panther Warrior and Carrier Sentinel together! I fusion summon! Level 6! Be-” His fusion chant as cut off by the boy’s laughter

“What are you laughing at coward?” The boy wiped his tears on his bandage “I’m laughing at you and how stupid you are Barret. I thought you knew the second effect of my ace! So long as Ophion has overlay units Level 5 or higher monsters can’t be special summoned! So your main damage dealing combo is off limits as Ophion currently has one overlay unit on him! I just cut off your arms and legs!”

“You’d be more aware of my other options if you came out to fight more often. I’ve got more than Beastborg Panther Predator! I fuse Panther Warrior and Carrier Sentinel together! I fusion summon! Level 4! **Beastborg War Triarii!** ” _Level 4 ( **1200** /1000)_ A cyborg panther wearing roman centurion clothing carrying a roman shield and a javelin appeared on Barrett’s field.

“So it’s come to the Triarii. Too bad that your last resort has also failed! Counter Trap card activate! Black Horn of Heaven!” A winged black horn sent out shockwaves in the amount of noise it made “When exactly one monster is special summoned to my opponents field Black Horn of Heaven negates the summoning and destroys the monster!” The smile on the boy’s face only grew wider as Barrett’s monster was destroyed by the shockwaves as the buildings shook around him. “I’ve prepared for every eventuality! I have no faults in my plan! I’ve completely won! How does it feel Barrett! Soon you’ll end up feeling the sorrow of those you’ve heartlessly carded!” The boy who was known for his emotionless expression during his time in the resistance had by now totally devolved into insanity.

“I’m not done yet!” The boy’s face dropped “Huh?!”

“I activate Fusion recovery adding back two monsters from my graveyard that have been used for a fusion summon!” Barrett then swiped a copy of Polymerization into his disk “I now fuse together two more copies of Panther Predator and Carrier Sentinel! I fusion summon! Level 4! **Beastborg Phalanx of Fury**!” A mix between a Greek Solider and a cyborg appeared as Barrett’s true last hope hit the field _Level 4 ( **1600** /1300)._

“You never learn Barrett! I told you my plan had no faults! I trigger the trap Fiendish chain!” Multiple chains ensnared Barrett’s monster as he looked on.

“Do you like it Barrett? I modelled this card after your wonderful chain trap cards!” Barrett stammered “But this is the first time I’ve ever seen you.”

A slight cackle left the vein coated lips of the boy “Just because you’ve never seen me before now it doesn’t mean that I haven’t been following you. Under the effect of Fiendish Chain your monsters effect is negated and it can no longer attack! So hurry up and end your turn! I’ve got to be out of here in 1 minute.” 

Barrett sighed, he couldn’t believe a Xyz scum let alone this one of all of them had bested him in the field of battle. “I end my turn…” He grunted. “Perfect! I draw! I summon Rescue Rabbit!”

A small bunny wearing a miner’s hat appeared in stark contrast to the war torn wasteland that was Heartland _Level 4 (300/100)._

“I activate its effect I banish this card to summon two normal monsters from my deck at the cost of destroying them at the end phase! I summon two Evilswarm Heliotropes!” Two rock like knights saying _‘Eliminate! Exterminate! Eradicate!’_ came into being beside one another. _Level 4 ( **1950** /650)_.

“I overlay my two Heliotropes! Bringing to the field a knight of pure plague! Rank 4! Xyz summon! Evilswarm Exciton Knight!” A bugged knight emerged with two Yellow orbs floating round it _Rank 4 ( **1900** /0) ( **OLU: 2** )_.

“Continuous Trap open! **Xyz Infection Epidemic!** ”

The trap depicted Exciton Knight, Ophion and another monster which looked like a corrupted version of Trishula, Dragon of the Ice barrier being slowly consumed by a darkness that contained within it two glowing red eyes

“This trap boosts the attack points of every Evilswarm Xyz monster on my field by 400 times the number of overlay units it currently possess!” Dark veins similar to the ones on the teen’s face slinked out of the trap and injected themselves into Exciton and Ophion as the two Evilswarm monsters grew in power.  

Exciton Knight (1900 – 2700)

Ophion (2550 – 2950)

“Battle! Let me pierce your soul with sorrow! Exciton knight attack Beastborg Phalanx of Fury!”

Barrett (3050– 1950)

“Know my name as the Plague Doctor! Evilswarm Ophion! Eradicate this disease from the face of heartland! Infestation infection Epidemic!” The veins reached a crescendo of throbbing as his pupils slitted.

Barrett (1950 – 0)

**_Unknown: Win!_ **

The victor donned his mask quickly, clutching it tightly, his lack of wellbeing seemingly gone as he walked slowly towards a barely conscious Barrett

“I’m so disappointed in you Barrett, all the time I spent shadowing you I thought you would be a worthy challenger but you let me down.” The disk was soon jabbed directly on Barrett’s neck “I’ll show you the sorrow the innocent citizens of Heartland felt when your bunch first invaded!” His hand was just millimetres from the card function he had managed steal and install on his disk when a voice was heard in the distance. “I heard it over here Shun! It can only be him!” Yuto ran on along with Shun slightly lagging behind.

“Tch…Why now of all times do they have to find me?”

The boy quickly pulled away his disk from Barrett’s throat as the captain teleported out. He began a sluggish run and was just about able to hide in the ruins of a nearby building as Shun and Yuto came to the area he was just a few short moments ago.

“Where is he?!” Shun screamed hysterically as his eyes darted from side to side trying to find the reject, “Shun calm down, he probably heard us coming and is hiding. Just like Yali were are not going to get answers by punching them out of him. It’s actually unlikely we’ll ever get our hands on him, he’s just too slippery” Shun and Yuto scoured the area in desperate search of the plague doctor who had managed to slip away albeit slow and sluggish as he swayed heavily.

**(Standard Dimension)**

“That was the closet you ever got to finding me. To be honest I was scared stiff when I heard your voice.”  The boy moved his left foot around in a circle on the floor as Yuto spoke “You never answered my question on where you were hiding out during all that time though.” A slight clank was heard as the boy raised his right arm causing Yuto to wince “Convict me now. It was like I said I wasn’t expressly hiding out anywhere I was constantly having to outmanoeuvre two groups that would’ve done who knows what to me.”

He sighed as he looked at the sun “I’ll see you around Yuto.” With that the boy walked awkwardly past Yuto as Yuto muttered under his breath “Janus. I’m sorry.” The boy now revealed to be called Janus turned and looked down at Yuto.

“I don’t deserve your pity Yuto you were right to do what you did. I have no right to be called by my name.” Janus limply carried on walking and talking as his mask slid down his face and smashed onto the alley floor a trail of a yellow liquid seeping out of a concealed tube in the destroyed remains of the ceramic mask. “I’m just a pestilence…Pestilence… Pestil-”                

“Janus!” Shouted Yuto as Janus hit the floor falling unconscious. Yuto hauled Janus over onto his back looking at the unconscious black and yellow haired teen’s pallid expression, his veins rapidly pulsating, his condition worsening by the second.

“It really is a miracle you survived all that time in your condition after what we did to you. However while I do now realise why you had to make those deals it still pains me to know what you did.” Yuto thought back to the last thing Janus said before he vanished as he walked back to their hideout with Janus slumped over his shoulder ‘Deals _are Deals and whether you like it or not I intend to follow through.’_ Janus’ collapse and worsening condition was all the proof Yuto needed to find out the answer.

“Janus, Bumblebee, the Plague Doctor. I’m sorry.”

Inside the Leo Corp building Sawatari stood facing one of his lackeys in a duel against his former deck. “Mobius the Mega Monarch attack Power Darts Striker! Ice lance!” Mobius swiftly tore the monster in two.

(? – 0)

**_Sawatari: Win!_ **

“Sawatari the cards you’ve got this time are really strong.” The defeated stooge ran up to Sawatari as a finger was wagged condescendingly in his face, “You’ve got it backwards, what it is in fact has unparalleled strength is none other than…” His goons finished the sentence for him “Sawatari-san!” Sawatari struck a pose “Oh yes!” He exclaimed sweeping his hair back “Strength, skill, calculated decision making and tactics, a tough spirt and ravishing looks, the combination of all of these traits is none other than…” Sawatari snapped his fingers as his friends shouted “Sawatari-San!”

“Yes! Yes! Yes!” Sawatari’s ego grew by the millisecond “Simply put it’s the perfect duelist that’ll win the day and that duelist is…” “Sawatari-San!”

“Absolutely! But from now one I insist that you call me Neo Sawatari with these new cards I have” Arrogance couldn’t begin to describe how Sawatari was acting at this point in my time “Neo…” he said “Sawatari-san!” His friends finished “Ladies and Gentlemen!” The similarities were not lost on his friends “Looks like someone has learnt a little something from a certain someone’s style.” Sawatari raged “That underhanded bastard Yuri Sakaki has not influenced me in the slightest.” He thought back to his duel with Yuri “To think he not only tricked me with his pendulum cards but also beat me with said cards is just proof of how worthless those cards really are!”

His friends looked at him in surprise “What? That is circular logic and a complete contradiction of what you said about pendulum cards earlier.” One said “You did fall for his trap as well.” Sawatari ignored them and grumbled “I’ll get my hands on him if it’s the last thing I do.”

Meanwhile in You Show Yuri, Demil and Yuzu were watching the kids duel.

“They’re not half bad.” Demil said as he saw the duel reach its conclusion “On the other hand they aren’t half good either, I mean if I had a trophy for the most bog standard duelist in this city, these kids would be joint first.” Yuzu hit Demil across the face with her fan causing the boy to cry in pain “Argh! I see why Yuri is scared of angering you now! That was like lightning!” Yuri laughed at Demil’s misfortune “Your mouth has a mind of its own doesn’t it. Yuzu you need to control your anger and emotions as well before you know it you’ll be rushing headlong into a battle you don’t understand.”

Later Yuzu was walking with Ayu coming back with some supplies the boys had demanded, “Who knew that Demil was such a hoarder.” Yuzu said gazing down at Ayu who was just about holding onto numerous deck boxes and holsters that were balancing precariously on top of one another. “Big sis Yuzu could you please take some of these yourself it’s getting really difficult.”

“Sure I’ll take half of them, I’m still carrying Yuri’s stuff that he was too lazy to get himself.” There was an awkward hand off of the boxes but soon after they continued Yuzu suddenly stopped without warning “Big sis Yuzu?” Ayu said curiously as Yuzu held her finger over the little girl’s lips placing Demil’s deck boxes in the bag containing other things the rest wanted closely watching Sawatari’s friends the reason she had stopped. “He’s really going all out this time isn’t he…?” One muttered “He says he’s going to crush Yuri completely this time” Yuzu and Ayu watched on as Yuzu began to rifle through Demil’s decks, “He says he’s going to focus in on his weak points and attack him from there.” The other boy checked his watch and panicked “Damnit! We’re late! We better hurry you know how he gets when he’s hungry.” The two boys ran off to the warehouse containing their over-ambitious friend.

“Sawatari…” Yuzu rummaged through the boxes “Thank god Demil labelled them.” She eventually settled on a worn box suggesting moderate use that was tagged _‘Dino Rabbit’_ sliding out the contents Yuzu bolted to catch up with Sawatari’s stooges as Ayu raced to catch up with her.

The stooges entered the warehouse and were almost immediately chastised by Sawatari “You’re late.” They bowed their heads in shame “Sorry Sawatari-san.” One handed Sawatari a bag “We got your favourite sweet milk berry pie with honey here.” Sawatari’s face lit up “I suppose I can let you live…” He said as Yuzu and Ayu arrived outside the warehouse.

“Big sis Yuzu don’t you think we should let Yuri know about this?” The red haired girl questioned although Yuzu ignored the question focusing in on trying to find the correct warehouse Sawatari was hulled up in. “I’ve got to do this Ayu. Yuri’s always been there to help me in tough situations and now it’s my turn to help him.” She turned to face Ayu “Ayu go back to the duel school.” She handed her the bag and ran off into the distance “But…” Ayu stammered out.

Yuto had only now come out of his and Shun’s hideout, he had spent most of the time attempting to treat Janus’ condition but it was hopeless without the proper supplies that were still back in the Xyz Dimension, _‘It’s really a sorry sight to see a fellow denizen of Heartland reduced to that state, he’s the prime example of how war makes people do desperate things in order to survive, this war has to end soon for the sake of everyone’s wellbeing.’_ He then saw Yuzu dart past him which put him into a state of shock _‘Ruri! But it couldn’t be can it? If it is her then how did she get here?_ He began to follow but felt an icy hand gently touch his shoulder “I’m still indebted to you Yuto.” Janus was hardly able to stand properly as Yuto turned to see a weak smile form on the sickly boy’s face “I might be ill but that doesn’t mean I can’t be of use.” Yuto inspected the weary former resistance leader with a sullen look “Janus you need to rest none of the correct supplies are available.” Janus limply dug his pale hands through his shirt and revealed a second concealed tube tapped to the inside “I’m always prepared for every eventuality, I’ve got enough here to treat me for at least two days, I owe you for what I did to everyone, it was unforgiveable, I’m going with you.” Yuto still tried to resist “You have no business in this matter.”

“That’s where you are wrong,” Janus pulled a battered page out of his jacket pocket “one of the deals I made involved the hand off of information to an Academia scout, the information included the precise location of Ruri and some other classified information.” Janus’ hands shook, tears began to leak out “I’m sorry, I bear part of the responsibility for her kidnapping, I feel nothing but sorrow, I can no longer run away and hide from what I’ve done it’s time I face it and cleanse myself of this sin.” Yuto relented and nodded “Fine you can come with me just be careful not to overextend yourself.” 

The door to the warehouse swung open “You coward!” Yuzu shouted causing Sawatari to nearly choke “I’ll stop your plans right here and now!” Sawatari was handed a drink and composed himself for a speech “Yuzu Hiiragi it looks like you’ve fallen into my t-” Yuzu loaded her disk “Duel me!” Sawatari continued his speech regardless “And because y-” Yuzu interrupted him again “Shut your mouth and duel me now!” An irritated Sawatari tried to continue “The goddess of victory will shine upo-”

“Are you afraid to lose to me?!” Sawatari raged “Let me finish! Godamnit!” Yuzu snorted “I don’t plan on listening to a coward, a sore loser and a second rate duelist!” Sawatari turned scarlet “Second rate you say! Second rate!” He narrowed his eyes at the insult Yuzu had thrown at him, “In fact you’re even worse than second rate, third rate, fourth rate not even one hundredth rate classifies your skills!”

“Now you’ve done it!” At a flick of the wrist one of his friends shut the door of the warehouse tight and stood outside guarding it as Sawatari walked towards Yuzu “I’ll give you the chance to take that back now.” Yuzu was unfazed “Too bad I don’t feel like it one little bit you tier 4 duelist!” Sawatari gritted his teeth “I’ll beat that ignorant attitude out of you.” Sawatari placed his duel disk on and activated it “I’m going to make you wish you had left.”

Outside a voice was heard “Evilswarm Exciton Knight finish him off with Sheening Sword Strike!”

(? – 0)

**_Janus: Win!_ **

“That was easy.” Janus said going through the boy’s pockets before turning his head to Yuto “Are you sure they have ties to Academia because not even a Slifer student is that bad.” Yuto ignored the question and swung the door open. Sawatari was shocked to see Yuto enter warehouse as the other boys gathered behind him “Who are you?” He asked curiously as Yuto continued on before stopping beside Yuzu “Back down.” He said to Yuzu “What’s with you?” She asked him, Yuto ignored the question and zeroed in on the LDS badge Sawatari wore on his collar causing his steel grey eyes to narrow. “Showing up all of a sudden…Are you supposed to be a knight sent to save the Princess.” Sawatari said but it fell on deaf ears as Yuto threw out his arm, blowing his cloak, revealing and activating his purple duel disk.

“That’s an odd duel disk you have there and going by your silence you have no intent to answer any of my questions” Shingo stated at Yuto who stood silently as Janus slithered silently into the warehouse and hid in the corner. Yuzu was upset at Yuto for interfering in her battle with Sawatari, she was just about to place on her disk and activate it when Yuto grabbed her arm and looked directly in her eyes “I’m not going to let you get hurt anymore.” Yuzu was shocked “Eh? Just who is this guy?” Sawatari spoke up again “Well aren’t you cool but you should leave it at that Sir Knight you just going to embarrass yourself when you lose.” Sawatari activated his disk.

Yuto didn’t respond “This’ll be the perfect opportunity to test out my deck. I’ll crush you in 5 seconds flat!” Sawatari said as the two prepared them for battle. Janus smirked slightly _‘This is going to be a complete slaughter, he has absolutely no chance not even I beat Yuto’_

“Duel!” Both of them shouted as Yuzu, Janus and Sawatari’s lackeys watched on from their respective places.

Yuto: 4000 LP                          Sawatari: 4000 LP                  Cards x5

“I’ll go first” Yuto said as Sawatari mocked him “Go right head, it’s not like it’s going to make a difference.”

“I set all five cards in my hand facedown and end my turn!” The five cards materialised and then disappeared, this unprecedented move shocked everyone except Janus who watched on in anticipation. Sawatari laughed “So I guess all of that cool talk was just that, talk” Sawatari’s friends jeered Yuto “Sawatari end that worthless excuse for a duelist.” Sawatari mocked Yuto again “I feel sorry that you didn’t draw a single monster but I guess that’s karma for you.” Yuto stood unblinking “Didn’t you hear me I said I ended my turn.”

Back at You Show Ayu had finally arrived back, panting from the long fast run Yuzu made her do. “Yuri!” She called out dropping and tripping over the bag and falling into Yuri’s Arms “Ayu! Watch where you are going in future!” Demil came over and picked the bag off the ground throwing out everything relevant to each individual “Futoshi! Tatsuya! Sora! Your ice cream is here.” The kids’ excitement turned to disappointment as they saw what had become of the treat “Awww! Its melted.” They groaned. Yuri began to question Ayu “Ayu what’s happened, where’s Yuzu I thought you two were walking back together.” Ayu had tears in her eyes as she tried to catch her breath again.

“Okay!” Everyone turned to see Demil seething “Which one of you mongs stole one of my decks! I had 22 boxes in my possession in the underworld, there are only 21 here. To make matters worse it’s a very powerful one!”

“Yuri…Big Sis Yuzu is in danger!” She shouted over the top of a still ranting Demil “What!” Yuri gritted his teeth _‘It’s great to know she listens to my advice, I told something like this would happen.’_ “Ayu, where she at this moment.” The young girl was still visibly shaken “At a warehouse at the harbour, she’s gone after Sawatari.” Yuri needed no further prodding to figure out what happened, using Demil’s missing deck as a benchmark he set off “Demil.” The one-eyed boy stopped his ranting and turned himself in Yuri’s direction “Yes?”

“If you want your deck back come with me.” Both then raced to the warehouse as in the building the duel continued.

“I’ll show my perfect dueling! It’s my turn! I draw!” Sawatari glanced over the field smugly “Allow me to use those set cards of yours!” He plucked a card from his hand “If there are two or more set cards in my opponent’s spell or trap zone I can special summon this card from my hand!” He swiped the card onto his disk “Come forth! Escher the Frost Vassal!” _Level 4 ( **800** /1000) _“I now release Escher to tribute summon Mobius the Frost Monarch!” The smaller version of Mobius was replaced by the large version as it towered behind Sawatari. _Level 6 ( **2400** /1000)_. One his friends took this as an opportunity to stroke his boss’ ego “Wow it’s his first turn and he already has a 2400 attack point monster! Neo Sawatari sure is great!”

“Mobius’ effect activates when it is tribute summoned, it can target then destroy two cards in my opponent’s spell or trap zone! Take this!” Mobius charged up a beam in his hands and struck the two facedowns “Freeze burst!” The facedowns revealed to be Phantom knight’s Spear and The Phantom Knights of Shadow Veil were destroyed. “I’m just getting started by the way! I activate the Spell Tribute Carnival! If I’ve successfully tribute summoned this turn this card allows me to do the same again!” Sawatari slid the card into his disk. “He’s going to release a twenty four hundred attack monster to summon a new one?” Yuzu was surprised but Yuto and Janus didn’t bat an eyelid. “That’s right! I release Mobius the Frost Monarch! To summon forth Mobius the mega monarch!” Mobius was replaced by what looked to be the final step on the evolution ladder of the card _Level 8 ( **2800** /1000). _“Usually this would require two tributes but if it’s a monster that has already been tribute this turn you can count that monster as two for the summoning of a mega monarch!”  Sawatari struck a pose as his friends stroked his ego further “Amazing!” They yelled.

“Mega monarch’s effect now triggers when he is tribute summoned he destroys up to three spell or trap cards on your field!” Mobius charged up a beam from both his hands “Hey Sir Knight how about activating one of those cards before they are destroyed!” One of Sawatari’s friends said, Sawatari grinned “It’d be pointless if this card is tribute summoned using a water monster the cards targeted can’t be activated!” Mobius had finished charging “Now freeze and shatter! Blizzard destruction!” Mobius let loose destroying the other three set cards causing Yuto to shield Yuzu from the powerful blizzard.

Yuzu was shocked to feel the full brunt of the blizzard “Huh? How did I feel that if there is no action field?” Janus slinked slowly out of the corner far enough for his body to be seen but not his face “You’re experiencing the sorrow of the battlefield for the first time.” Yuzu barely had time to register this comment before Sawatari spoke again “With all of your set cards destroyed and your hand at zero you’re finished,” Sawatari struck another pose “Maybe if you summoned a monster or if you had one from the start this duel might have gone differently, this just makes your grand entrance pretty pathetic if you ask me.” Yuzu glared at Yuto “Hey get it together if this is the best you can do then you should’ve j-” Yuto glared back at Yuzu silencing her almost immediately.

“Battle! Mobius the Mega Monarch attacks you directly! Imperial charge!” Mobius charged, Yuto remained standing perfectly still although Yuzu had to shield herself “I activate the effect of the spell, The phantom knights of shadow veil in my graveyard!” Janus smirked showing off to Yuzu the bottom of his vein enveloped face while Sawatari and his stooges stood in shock “Spell card from the graveyard.” One questioned “Can he even do that?” the other one said, Yuto pulled the card out of the graveyard and explained its effect to everyone “When an opponent’s monster declares a direct attack I can summon as many copies of this card from my graveyard as level 4 monsters.” Three cards ejected out of Yuto’s grave as he placed them on his disk three ghostly horses emerged onto the field together _Level 4 (0/ **300** )._ Yuzu only now realised Yuto’s plan “You set those cards hoping they would be destroyed didn’t you?”

“He’s a lot smarter than you give him credit for.” Janus’ voice was unnerving to everyone around him. “No matter! I attack one of your Shadow Veils!” Mobius made the ghastly apparition vanish from the field. “Looks like you barely saved yourself! I set one card facedown and my turn!” The card materialised than vanished in front of a gloating Sawatari “I guess I’ll let you live one more turn!” His friends heaped praise upon him “Wow! Neo Sawatari sure is great!”

“This duel has run its course!” Yuto declared to Sawatari’s shock “Huh?”

“My turn!” Yuto turned to see Janus smiling, he too knowing what was going to happen “I thought you’d be a challenge but I don’t feel the sharpness of a blade in your dueling.” Yuto thought back to his duel the other day with Yali “Your nothing compared to him. Not even close to being on the same planet let alone the same level.” Sawatari stood in stupor “What are you talking about, cut the jokes Mr Mystery.” Yuto’s eyes narrowed behind his googles “The conditions have been met! When there are two monsters of equal level on my field the strongest monster of my deck will manifest itself!” The two monsters turned into streaks of purple energy as a swirling yellow vortex appeared in the centre of the field.

“It can’t be!” Sawatari said stunned “That’s…” Yuzu was just as shocked as Sawatari “Formed from the pitch-black darkness to fight those foolish enough to oppose it with its treacherous fangs! Descend now! Xyz Summon! Rank 4! Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon!”  The purple scaled electricity charged dragon hit the field with a screech _Rank 4 ( **2500** /2000) ( **OLU: 2** )_

Not too far from the warehouse Yuri and Demil were closing in on Yuzu’s position both motivated by different factors. “Yuzu I’m coming please stay safe.” Yuri looked over his shoulder to Demil “How powerful was the deck she took?”

“Depending on the user it can range from good to stupidly powerful. I hope she doesn’t lose it if I she does I swear to god she won’t see the light of day ever again.” Just as Demil said this two cards in both boys possession began to glow.

“Starve Venom is glowing.” Yuri pulled his ace from his extra deck “The last time this happened was seven years ago could it be that it is resonating with something else.”

_‘Demil,’_ Judgement Dragon’s spirit appeared beside the Lightsworn duelist _‘I sense that a dangerous power has just been released we need to get down there quickly.’_ Demil threw his hand through the spirit waving it off dismissively “Sure. Sure.” Both continued at a breakneck pace.  

“A Xyz summon…” Yuzu clasped her hands together, “He summoned an extra deck monster.” One said “He’s a Xyz user” the other one said. Sawatari clapped his hands sarcastically “I’ll admit I was surprised when you Xyz summoned so quickly but are you really planning to take down Mobius with that monster, unless your blind you would’ve realised that it only has twenty five hundred attack points while my Mobius has twenty eight hundred.” Yuzu looked at the two monsters attack points and sure enough Sawatari was correct Dark rebellion was too weak to defeat Mobius “It seems your Xyz summon has turned out to be nothing but a bluff.”

“Xyz monster’s true power rests in their very soul known as overlay units! They use them to vanquish their foes!” Yuto said with venom in his voice “Enough with your Xyz lessons I’m not interested.” Sawatari said pretending not to be scared. “Then bear witness to the true might of Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! By using one overlay unit I can target one level five or higher monster, half its attack points and then add that amount to Dark Rebellion’s!” One of the purple orbs was absorbed in the dragon as metallic panels on the dragon’s back opened up “Treason discharge!” Purple electricity constricted Mobius weakening the monster dramatically.

Dark Rebellion (2500 – 3900)

Mobius (2800 – 1400)

“Dark Rebellion’s attack is…” One boy started “Over Mobius’ attack” Yuzu finished the sentence for them, “I’m not finished! I use his second overlay unit to do the same thing again! Treason discharge!”

Dark Rebellion (3900 – 4600)

Mobius (1400 – 700)

“An attack of forty six hundred points!” Yuzu exclaimed happily “NO! NO! NO!” Sawatari shouted “Battle! I attack Mobius the Mega Monarch with Dark Rebellion Xyz Dragon! Mauling Mandible Charge!” Dark Rebellion’s tusks glowed a bright blue as it tore Mobius in two causing Sawatari to fly back and hit the wall.

 Sawatari (4000 – 100)

Yuto shielded Yuzu from the blast, Janus was forced out of the shadows and into the light revealing his full appearance to Yuzu _‘Demil?’_ she thought. Sawatari grunted as he attempted to stand up “What the hell?! This isn’t an action field I shouldn’t be able to feel it.”

“This is bad.” One of the boys said “This guy’s monster has the power to send us flying.” Yuto began to walk up to Sawatari “I’ll ask you only once so answer me properly.” Yuto held up the LDS pin in his possession “What’s your connection to Academia.” Sawatari was perplexed “Academia? What are you talking about?” Yuto glared at Sawatari “Don’t play dumb.” Sawatari grimaced “I really mean it! Anyone who is enrolled in LDS has that badge and I’ve never hear of this Academia you speak of.” Yuto began to walk away “I have no business with you then,” He looked over to Janus “let’s leave.”

“Idiot!” Sawatari shouted jumping to his feet “The duel isn’t over yet! Trap activate! Ice Rage Shot! When a water monster on my field is destroyed by battle this card destroys one monster on my opponent’s field and deals you damage equal to that monster’s attack points.” Yuzu gasped as Sawatari laughed “I read your moves from the very start and set this trap card ahead of time guaranteeing my victory!” Yuto threw up the back of his hand “Such tactics are mere child’s play compared to some of the trap combos I’ve seen before,” Yuto was thinking of two people in particular one of which happened to be in front of him being helped to his feet by Yuzu “From my graveyard I activate the continuous spell Phantom Knights’ Spear!” A spear appeared in a similar vain to Demil’s Lightsworn Lance directly pointing at a sniffling Sawatari “When my opponent activates a trap card I can banish this card from my graveyard, negate the activation of the card and deal you 100 points of damage!” Sawatari frantically flapped his arms “Wait! Wait! We can talk this over!” Yuto would have none of it “Experience for yourself the rage and sorrow of the battlefield!” The spear flew towards Sawatari pinning him to the wall by the inside of his jacket.

Sawatari (100 – 0)

**_Yuto: Win!_ **

Yuto soon after his victory removed his mask and lifted up his somehow undamaged googles revealing his face to those around him “Yuri!” Both Yuzu and Sawatari were shocked to see Yuto’s face mistaking him for Yuri, “It-It was you!” Sawatari fell to the ground as the spear dissipated “Sawatari!” Both conscious stooges ran up to their boss and carried him out of the warehouse taken stooge number 3 with them as well “Yuri and Demil why do you look like this?” Before either one of the two Xyz duelists could answer Yuzu’s bracelet glowed a bright pink engulfing the warehouse and when it finally cleared Yuto and Janus were gone, Yuri and Demil soon came rushing into the warehouse both with different reactions.

“Yuzu! I’m here are you alright Ayu told me you were in danger.” Yuri panted and leant on the door, Demil spoke up too “Yuzu! I believe you are currently in possession of something of mine! Give it back!” Yuri restricted Demil’s movements before he was able to do something _unpleasant._ “Yuri?” Yuzu asked confused about what had just happened “Thank god you’re safe!” Yuri threw his arms around Yuzu causing the confused girl to blush she held Yuri’s face “You are Yuri right?” Yuri was bewildered as well now “Of course I am I’ve not changed in the twenty minutes you were gone.” She then turned to Demil “You are Demil aren’t you?” Demil raised an eyebrow “Yes I am I’ve not changed either.” Demil tapped his index finger repeatedly on his forearm. Demil then noticed a trail of Yellow liquid on the ground “What’s that.” He said bending down running his finger through the liquid and then smelling it “Ach!” He repulsed “This stuff is toxic!” Yuri separated from Yuzu and journeyed over to join Demil while Yuzu linked two and two together quickly _‘The boy that looked like Demil had Veins all over his face and while helping him up I noticed he had a tube in his shirt_. _That liquid wasn’t there when I first came in so that means it belongs to him.’_

“Then if it wasn’t Yuri and Demil then who else could it be,” Yuzu said aloud, “could it be that one of them was Yuya?” Yuzu thought back to how Yuto looked and quickly dismissed the thought “Impossible, that can’t be him.”

“It smells like someone died and was brought back to life.” Demil was holding his nose still raving about the smell of the liquid Janus was carrying.

Yuzu couldn’t help but be confused, as in her mind the images of Yuto, Yuri and a younger Yuya appeared lined up on one side while images of Janus and Demil were lined up on the other. “What’s happening…?”


	10. The LDS Debacle

**(Dreamscape) (Unknown Location)**

A lone individual wondered the ruins of a futuristic city. He had on him only two possessions his duel disk strapped to his left arm and in his right hand was a sheening silver sword which functioned as the ‘blade’ of his disk, something he found quite amusing. However the situation was less than pleasant “It’s my fault.”

He knelt down in the rubble, “If only. If only.” He was holding a busted frame in it was a photograph, it depicted a bright sunny day in the very same city. He was huffed off to the side while two teens one a boy with silver hair and green highlights and the other was a girl with maroon and dark red hair tied into long pigtails. Both were smiling happily the sliver haired boy held aloft a trophy.

“Times change, people change.” He mumbled as he slid the photo out of the frame and kept it on his person as he set off for his goal.

“I’ve only got one shot at this.” The spirit of a large twin tailed dragon came into being behind the boy _‘You don’t have to win you just have to distract Ray will do the rest.’_

A large black and green dragon soon came into the picture **“Somebody defeat me!”** came the booming voice as the dragon rampaged destroying even more of the city.

“And he shall smite the wicked, and plunge them into the fiery pit!” The boy inserted the sword into his disk triggering its activation “I’m your opponent! One of the only two that can stand toe to toe with you!”

The scene changed to see two dragons, the black and green one and a new twin tailed blue and golden one fighting with each other.

**“Now to bury you into the earth by my own hand! I attack you directly!”**

Unknown (? – 0)

The teen may have been downed but he sure as hell wasn’t going to let it end like this “Trap card activate! **Revenge of the fallen!** I revive one monster from my grave and as long as it stays on the field I can’t lose even if my life points hit zero!”

**“What’s that supposed to accomplish! I’ll crush you in the next turn!”** The revived dragon laughed this off “You understand nothing about tactical defeat! You’ve expended your resources and now phase two of my master stroke comes into effect.” The dragon restricted his opposing number “Do it! RAY!”

The girl from the photo ran onto the scene with her father trailing far behind, she activated her disk incurring an intrusion penalty but this didn’t matter she quickly activated four spell cards.

**“You wench!”** The demonic dragon growled in pain at the girl revealing a face which bore a remarkable resemblance to Yuya and Yuri, the restraining dragon was too in pain from the cards, his face was too revealed his resembling Demil and Yali with black markings similar to Janus’ veins as well “It’s over Z you’ve been beaten.”

**“You idiot K! You do realize you’ll suffer the same fate as me?!”**

“All three of us are going down it’s a price both Ray and I are willing to pay,” the person simply referred to as K began to chant “Zkhq wkh zkhhov ri idwh vwduw wr wxuq l lqyrnh wkh dqflhqw srzhu wkdw l pdb uhwxuq!”

**“We will become one!!!”** Was the last utterance coming from the black and green dragon before the three of them split off into four silhouettes then began shooting off in multiple directions.

The scene turned to black.    

**(Reality in Standard dimension)**

 Both Yuri and Demil awoke at the same time panting.

_“What was that?”_ Both thought at the same time eyeing each other with suspicion.

_“Why did that guy look like Demil and why does it feel like I know him from somewhere?”_ Yuri thought placing a figure on his lips.

_“What are you hiding Yuri? You’re clearly not who you say you are, that much is obvious but why does it feel like I’m perpetually tied to you, like I’m some sort of guardian.”_ Demil’s suspicion of Yuri continued to rise until Yoko’s voice from downstairs broke the tension.

“Boys! Breakfast!”

Demil and Yuri snapped out of their trance like state, awkwardness replaced the tension in the room.

“So you wanna…Y’know…” Demil nodded his head to the door.

“Yes.”

**(Outside)**

“That’s one weird dream Yuri,” Yuzu walked slowly beside a slouching Yuri “any idea what may have caused it.” She asked cautiously, not wanting to rattle Yuri too much

“No I haven’t got the slightest inclination of what may have triggered it, the weirdest part was that it felt like a memory as if it already happened before…” Yuri eyes darted quickly behind him to see Demil seemingly observing his every solitary movement with his blood shot eyes.

_‘Make one wrong move…’_ Demil thought not taking his gaze off Yuri for even a single second _‘I’ll do something even worse than last time.’_ The face he was making was a clear indication of how he felt, a mixture of anger and curiosity. The blend of his past and present self

Yuzu nudged Yuri slightly then whispered in his ear “What’s with Demil…He looks even more annoyed than usual.” Yuri sighed not wanting to divulge that not only did he see a person whose face Demil shared but only a person with Yuzu’s face as well, he thought that him arriving here randomly one day was going to be the weirdest thing that ever happened to him. Apparently not…

“He probably just slept poorly.” Yuri stated lying through his teeth whilst simultaneously plastering a fake smile on his face “Yuzu my dear, you do know that he spends the night completely passed out on the back of a chair in my room with his jacket over his face.” Yuri looked towards Demil again who was busy writing something down before turning back round to Yuzu “If you ask me it’s a miracle that he doesn’t have back problems!”    

“I heard that!” Demil shouted as loud as his lungs would let him while also proceeding to shoot Yuri the two fingered salute causing the person in question to laugh at his childish behaviour.     

Meanwhile in the skies above a private jet flew seamlessly through the clouds. The jet contained a pale skinned woman with purple hair wearing a long red dress who was looking at a tablet, on it was information regarding LDS progress throughout the world “We will be landing shortly in Maiami city.” The pilot’s voice came through the PA system as the woman prepared herself for the landing. Later on she was in a white stretch limo with Nakajima “Congratulations on the recent company merger Madame Chairwoman.”

“Thank you very much Nakajima, but this is merely a step in the greater scheme to make LDS present in every part of the globe, to raise strong duelists is mine and Reiji’s plan.” Nakajima fixed his glasses “I believe the president will be pleased with your successful purchase but…” The chairwoman narrowed her eyes “But?”

“If I am completely honest I restrain myself from mentioning them to you during the negotiation process, during your absence there were a number of incidents.” Nakajima said worrying the chairwoman “Incidents?”     

 “Welcome back, Mother” Reiji said to the chairwoman who turned out to be his mother. “Reiji I want to speak to about this new summoning method, ‘Pendulum’ was it called?” Reiji gestured for his mother to take a seat as he started up a video “We already knew of three different types of special summoning methods Xyz, Synchro and fusion but now a new one called pendulum that has appeared fairly recently.”

The video showed footage of Yuri’s duel with Sawatari and his duel with Strong Ishijima “It involves the use of two pendulum cards to set the pendulum scale as it’s called, the user then can summon as many high level monsters as they want so long as the level fits within the scale.”

The chairwoman noticed Yuri’s disk and her eyes widened “This person’s disk, He’s the son of him as well…” Reiji fixed his glasses “We’re still not entirely sure how this method came into being but currently there is a good enough possession of understanding of the summoning and we are currently developing our own prototypes.” Reiji’s look turned deadly serious “The main problem being as you pointed out, the duelist.”

“His name is Yuri and he is the adopted son of Yusho Sakaki, currently enrolled in an inner city duel school, he is at the moment in the junior youth class and has a mediocre win/loss rate at 56.5%.” Reiji’s mother while slightly scared wasn’t too concerned “56.5% and he’s still in junior youth class. Is there anything else?”

 “Yes. He is also capable of performing fusion summons strong enough to set off our sensors.”

“Fusion. He’s the son of Yusho as well could it be that he has betrayed us and joined the enemy?”

“No it’s unlikely as he had taken care of Yuri before what happened three years ago but it is still a distinct possibility. On the topic of different dimensions a member of the Sawatari family was attacked last night by a duelist whose Xyz summon was powerful enough to set off our sensors.” This caused Reiji’s mother to gasp “Is everything ready for the attack?” She questioned “I’m still in the selection process for the lancers but I think I’m onto some big details here.” Reiji presented his mother with Yali’s black notebook, several pages of the book had been torn out for analysis “This book was taken from a boy assumed to be an Academia student sent to scout out our dimension however there is a slight problem,’ Reiji open the book which was laced with indiscernible ciphers and cryptograms “the entire book is encoded and we can’t find out how to crack it.”

“Where is the boy now?” Reiji’s mother asked her son curiously, Reiji leant back “He was just discharged from hospital the other day, I don’t know his current whereabouts and there is another strange thing about him as well mother.”

“What would that be Reiji?”

“Do you remember being here when Demil Kaimia first appeared to us?”

“Kaimia. I do. Why?”

“This boy whom I believe to be called Yali shares the same face as Demil.”

“He’s dangerous Reiji. What do you plan on doing?”

“Like I said a member of the Sawatari family was attacked last night and so we’ll go from there.”

“It was Yuri Sakaki I tell you!” Sawatari said from his hospital bed “I saw him with my own two eyes!” Sawatari shouted vehemently while thrashing up and down banging his right arm repeatedly on the bed causing his friends who were with him to be concerned “Sawatari clam down please! You’re going to injure yourself even more!”

After successfully managing to calm him down, Sawatari’s underlings went to talk only to be interrupted by their boss, “You saw him too didn’t you!?” He shouted aggressively at the three of them “Of course we did!” They all said simultaneously.

“That’s right!” It was then a short fat man in a brown suit burst into the room in a flurry “There is absolutely no reason why we should let this heinous act go unpunished! Especially since it was towards my noble son!” The man now revealed to be Sawatari’s father proceeded to magically pull a megaphone out of nowhere and pushed the window open “This is to all of you who don’t consider me their mayor! I will not allow events like this to hinder me in the slightest!”

“In order to resolve..!” The three goons sighed and spoke to each other quietly “Hey. Sawatari’s lied about his injures hasn’t he?” One said “Yeah and I can’t believe his father hasn’t noticed?” Another said just as Sawatari’s father returned to his bedside crying almost comical amount of tears “Don’t worry about it son! Papa’s going to avenge you!”

“My, my there is no need to get so worked up.” Reiji’s mother walked through the door holding a bouquet of flowers. Sawatari’s father immediately ceased his crying “Ch-Chairwoman Akaba…” He stuttered “When did you get back?” She laughed slightly before speaking “Oh. Just recently and when I heard the news about your son I rushed here as quickly as I could.”

“Thank you chairwoman…” Sawatari’s father took the flowers graciously “How could I not when I heard that you who will be supporting us in Maiami from now on had one of his family members assaulted it just isn’t possible for me to ignore it.”

“My sentiments exactly chairwoman we must hurry and notify the police to the assailant’s whereabouts.” Sawatari’s father took out his phone and was just about to call the police when he was stopped “Oh we shouldn’t do that right away it’s a very important time for you as a candidate, if word got out about this it would cause all sorts of problems.” He relented

“Leave all the rest to me.”

**(You Show)**

Yuri, Yuzu, Demil and the others were currently in the middle of a class. Yuri along with Sora was rather disinterested in the lesson that was being taught. Demil was only there because it was the only place he could go without getting arrested for some random reason. Safe to say being handcuffed to desks multiple times has had an adverse effect on his development, currently he was standing in the back of the class writing away.  “Today class we will go over the many basic forms of summoning!” Shuzo exclaimed loudly.

“First! Is the normal summon! Now this is the most common form of summoning you will come across where you summon the monster in face up attack position. The next type of summon is the advance or tribute summon!” He then pointed towards Tatsuya who was probably the only one paying attention “Tatsuya! Would you care to explain it?!”

“Certainly!” The young boy said as he stood up “Advance or tribute summoning is another summoning method from your hand. For example if you want to summon a level five or level six monster you must release one monster already on your field and for a level seven or higher monster you must release two monsters instead of one!”

“That is correct! Well done you’ve clearly been studying!” Shuzo said however Yuzu had long tuned out of the class, focusing mainly on her experience with Yuto in the warehouse the previous day _‘Just who exactly was that at the warehouse. His dragon was so powerful. Maybe it was Yuya after all he has been gone seven years…’_ With that Yuzu was lost in her own world.

Yuri looked over to Yuzu with concern evident on his face, having been her childhood friend for seven years Yuri was quite adept at picking up on changes in her tone and facial expressions he knew that she was indeed distracted and he too lapsed into thought _‘What could Yuzu have possibly seen that would cause her to act this way…’_ Yuri could see the worry slowing cementing itself onto Yuzu’s face. During the walk back from the warehouse He had asked her what had happened but all he got was that everything was okay and that there was really nothing to worry about. Lying wasn’t Yuzu’s strong point and here it was basking in the limelight for everyone to see. 

“Next is Fusion!” Shuzo then pointed towards Sora who wasn’t paying the slightest bit of attention, being too busy playing with his food and finding new _concoctions._ That ranged in taste from God awful to at least my stomach is accepting it as edible. “Sora!” Shuzo shouted at the boy “What are you doing eating in class!”

“What about Xyz summoning dad?” Yuzu asked suddenly catching everyone utterly off guard “What do you mean Yuzu?” He asked back by now both Demil and Yuri were focusing in on the conversation with Xyz clearly being the main vocal point of what happened in the warehouse the day prior. Yuzu was stood up, nervous for a second and looked around the room before returning to speaking.

“I mean do we have any way of learning Xyz at this school.” She explained her thoughts once again turning to Yuto and Dark Rebellion.

“I don’t believe we teach Xyz here. Unless….” Shuzo explained with a cautious tone whilst he looked at Demil who in turn shook his as while he had a basic understanding of the method he didn’t know how to actually pull it off. “Sorry Yuzu. But if I may ask why are you mentioning it all of a sudden?”

Yuzu resigned herself back down to her seat “No reason…” She muttered causing Yuri to squirm in his seat and Demil to wince faintly, the final result was a great deal of discomfort for the two of them, just what exactly had happened? Both of them were certain now that the warehouse incident was somehow linked to Xyz summoning

 “Ambushed?!” Came Gongenzaka’s gruff voice from outside the class, kick starting the cogs back into motion “What do you mean Yuri attacked someone?!”   

_‘What’s Gongenzaka doing here?’_ Yuri thought “What’s this about me attacking someone?” Yuri let slip however no one really seemed to care on his slip of the tongue as they all went out to see what all the commotion was about.

 Gongenzaka was indeed outside giving Sawatari’s three underlings an earful and a half “The man Gongenzaka wants the truth and you better tell it or else!” Yuri approached followed by Yuzu then Demil finally Sora and the three kids.  

“What’s going on here Gong?” Yuri asked looking up towards the taller bulky male, “Yuri! Gong here was doing some duel sprints when he spotted a couple of shady characters loitering near You Show.” He explained “Gong then confronted them but they were too afraid to tell Gong the truth.”

“Have you got anything of worth out of them yet?” Demil asked feigning interest on the situation.

Gongenzaka nodded resolutely “All Gong has found out is that apparently Yuri attacked and injured Sawatari badly during his second duel with h-.”

“Sorry?” Yuri said raising his hand whilst he tried to wrap his head around this confusing situation, “I didn’t have a second duel with that lamb and if I didn’t duel him there is no possible way I could’ve injured him.” The You Show crowd and Demil all seemed to accept this story, all bar Yuzu who was still having trouble processing the majority of the oncoming information.

“Don’t lie! It was you that came into the warehouse!” One of the goons shouted proceeding to point his finger at the accused party “Along with your associate over there!” Another one said lifting his finger towards Demil causing him to raise his eyebrow in suspicion, something Yuri did too.

_‘So Demil has somebody that looks like him as well, that does explain how I saw that person in my dream…’_ Yuri thought as it became Demil’s attempt to reason with accusers “Let me ask you a question. Did this person have two working eyes?” To the You Show bunch it was clear what Demil was trying to do however the three stooges didn’t quite figure that important detail out.

“That’s a stupid question! Of course he did!” All three said at once failing to notice Demil’s smug laugh as he reach for the hair over his right eye. “Well that is such a shame because you see…” He pulled away the hair and tidied it behind his ear for the time being. Suffice to say the three lemmings were shocked to see Demil’s battered right eye “I’ve only got the one so your argument unfortunately does not hold any water!” While everyone at You Show knew that he only had one eye, it was still a shock to their system to witness the damage that had been dealt.

It made everyone in the corridor feel queasy and uncomfortable. _‘That’s disgusting!’_ everyone collectively thought, Yuri and Sawatari’s gang being the most vocal in their inward opinions.     

The goons cast away the shock of seeing Demil’s eye, re-focusing their attention back on the target they actually had any form of evidence against be it solid or not. “That doesn’t change the fact that it was Yuri Sakaki who attacked Sawatari! The three of us all saw you! So did her as well…” One of the goons pointed to the still worried Yuzu who just shook her head in outright denial.

“Come on Yuzu…Don’t lie…” The creepy almost perverted smiles did absolutely nothing to dispel Yuzu’s worry.

“Gong thinks they are crazy and are just making all of this up…” Gongenzaka said defiantly, “Or are they…” said Shuzo beginning to question Yuzu, she had been acting weird for a while now, this train of thought was cemented back when she asked how to Xyz summon out of the blue. “Making what up exactly?”

“That Yuri attacked him.” Demil said making his way to directly face the three stooges “It’s very clear that the person you saw wasn’t me and another thing that I didn’t mention was that I was actually with Yuri the whole time so figure that out…” He made his way back to his position on the wall as Ayu began to speak up “Yeah! Yuzu and I even heard that Sawatari was the one planning to attack Yuri in the first place!”

It was now evident to even an idiot that Sawatari’s friends had been rumbled on multiple occasions making the fact they even continued painful “I don’t know what you are talking about little girl!” The main goon etched out.

Ayu seemed to be having a burst of courage, nothing was going to seemingly stop her “You know perfectly well! It is exactly like big bro Demil said!” That caught the blue haired boy’s attention, it gave him a foreign feeling as he paid closer attention to what Ayu had to say “Yuzu and I were walking back with some Ice cream when he heard that Sawatari was going to harm Yuri, so Yuzu went off to face Sawatari and when I came back Yuri and Demil were still here so it couldn’t have been them!”

“Wait let me get this straight,” Shuzo butted into the conservation “Yuzu went to confront Sawatari. So that must mean Yuzu is the culprit!” With his realisation came a cacophony of groans for his thick skull.

“Wow…If that’s the teacher, the students here must be dumber than dishwater!”

“Now back on topic, the only person that could’ve attacked Sawatari was Yuri…” One started “Now poor Sawatari is in hospital…” The second one continued. “Hospital?” Yuri said cold, calculating and uncaring while the final goon made a dramatic pose before feigning tears “They said that he may have life threatening injures!”

However if were in said person’s hospital room you would see that it was indeed not the case.

“If something happens to him you two will be held responsible and charged with assault!” Yuri wasn’t the slightest bit interested whereas Demil looked to be having flashbacks to his frequent arrests. “Yuzu you believe me don’t you?” Yuri said expecting one response but getting a far different one “Yuri I-I- don’t know…”

“Unbelievable…Totally unbelievable!” Yuri said glaring daggers at Yuzu “You have irrefutable evidence that I was here! Yet you still can’t make up your mind!” He snapped with a venom laced voice. Yuzu wanted so badly to believe her emotions that told her that it wasn’t Yuri or Yuya that attacked Sawatari but what she saw prevented her mind from giving her a clear cut answer.   

Yuzu really didn’t want to upset Yuri, having gone through so much with Yuya’s disappearance the last thing that she wanted was to upset his replacement with whom she had developed feelings for.

This scene reminded Demil of a poem he had created when younger. Poetry being one of his lesser known habits and by lesser known, he never talked to anyone about it.

_‘Blinded by rage one doesn’t observe instead impulse thunders down._

_One sees the other doesn’t, see what I see, feel what I feel, save as I save._

_The cloudy mind is worn by these people as if it were a crown._

_They must think clearly or else the consequence will be grave._

_Entrapped in an airtight cage scurrying like rats fleeing a sinking ship,_

_Rage pollutes the mind as if it were a mere blip._

_One sees the other unfortunately does not, see what I see, feel what I feel, save as I save…’_

He replayed it over and over again in his mind as Yuri conversed with Yuzu again “Don’t tell me you actually believe the drivel these lot are spewing!” It was evident the immense level of dissatisfaction and anger Yuri felt. “Yuri…” Yuzu was on the verge of crying but told herself to stay strong in the face of adversity, she could only see Yuto when looking at Yuri and Janus when looking at Demil.

“You two are going to prison when the cops get here!” Demil began to breathe heavily and rapidly catching the eye of the kids who began to worry over their newfound brother figure. Ayu began to tug at his trouser legging “Big bro Demil are you okay?” He was still breathing heavily as he answered “Yeah…I’m…Fine.” He etched out haggardly breathing while placing his head in his hands.     

“Right!” Shuzo said dispelling the tension ever so slightly “Take this from the top again!” Cue multiple sighs and groans whilst Reiji’s mother appeared into the picture “Let me explain it for you if you are so dense.” She said entering the corridor “You’re LDS…” Shuzo growled. “Yes, I am the current chairwoman of LDS my name is Himika Akaba.” She said with a slightly smug tone. Her gaze met Yuri square on startling her somewhat _‘There he is…My next move is vital…’_ Next she saw the still hyperventilating Demil _‘Kaimia’s here too…’_

Outside was Nakajima who was talking to Sawatari’s underlings “The chairwoman and I appreciate your work so here is your payment of rare cards.” He handed the three of them envelopes as he sent them on their way while inside Himika was talking carefully observing Yuri and Demil “Everything those three said was the truth. The fact of the matter is that one of our LDS students one Shingo Sawatari was attacked which if conjoined with his witness statement the only conclusion one can come to is that Yuri Sakaki was the main culprit while Demil Kaimia was an accomplice of the crime!” Shuzo quickly turned to Yuri and Demil “Well Yuri, Demil is this true?”

“No way! The fact you even think that annoys me!” While Yuri ranted, Demil didn’t answer despite having calmed down with the help of the three kids he still wasn’t in any to comment.

“Gong believes his friend Yuri despite his less than stellar qualities!” Gongenzaka said looking at the kids not noticing the glare Yuri was giving him “That goes for the three of you as well doesn’t it?” The three kids nodded, “And you too Yuzu?” Yuzu looked at Gongenzaka then looked down at the ground for a few seconds finally she turned to Yuri “Yuri that wasn’t you back there was it?” Yuri while slightly heartened was still annoyed “Yuzu. I’m going to make this very clear I didn’t attack that runt. I have no clue what you saw there but it was not me.” Yuzu was still confused but smiled towards Yuri now believing him to be telling the truth “I’ve got it now Yuri I believe you.” Yuri breathed a sigh of relief, finally having got through to Yuzu he felt happier now that she believed him.

“Oh my what a very strong bond all of you share!” Himika said ruining the moment “It seems that it would be impossible for me to ask you to hand both Yuri and Mr Kaimia over.” She said “But we can’t back down now. If word gets out that a student from the number one duel school in the world lost in a duel it would do immeasurable damage to our reputation.”

“But Yuri and Demil didn’t d-.” Shuzo started to say before he was interrupted “That is no longer relevant!” Himika yelled with fury “The issue now is that the image of LDS has been dragged through the mud, there is only one possible way to cleanse this stain off of our honour!” The thought of what she wanted to do immediately entered Shuzo’s mind “Duelling…” This idea shocked the You Show crowd while Sora grinned at the thought to show his strength      

“If your party wins we will forget the incident with Sawatari and call off the charges held against your school but if we win You Show will become a subsidiary of LDS!” Yuri glared coldly at Himika who was silently terrified of what he could possibly do “If you think I’m going to allow that to happen you’re dead wrong.” He said coolly hiding his rage at the mere thought that this woman would come in and just steamroller the legacy his father had left behind for him to fulfil.

“Chairwoman Akaba I have heard that you’ve been acquiring many duel school recently and that You Show is now the next in line.” Shuzo said however all Himika did was smile whilst keeping her eyes on Demil and Yuri “Don’t tell me that you set up the attack on Sawatari just so you could take over our school!”

“That is not the case but when I heard that I had the opportunity to gain Pendulum for LDS to add to the three pillars we already have, I couldn’t help but seize the opportunity.” Himika said explain her superficial reasoning “I think that you haven’t quite grasped the concept of what an amazing opportunity you have been given here principal Hiiragi.”

“By making use of the better facilities available at LDS we will be able to make Pendulum summoning a worldwide phenomenon, we’ll have people lining up who aspire to use pendulum just like Yuri here.” She said condescendingly, turning to the three kids who were still by Demil “That goes for you three too…” She was met by glares from them “No way! Anyway you don’t even have any pendulum cards, Yuri is the only one with them.”

Himika smirked knowingly “Well that can easily be resolved when the power of our corporation is put to full use in production. That is why it is of vital importance that we unite as soon as possible!” She said with a certain vigour about her, _‘Also it’ll give me a chance to find out whether Yuri is friend or foe same goes for Kaimia when we place him back under arrest…’_

“There is absolutely no way I’m going to allow you take Pendulum or my father’s school.” Yuri said grasping Yuya’s pendant around his neck. “I’m going to fight to the last for this school and I’m confident everyone here would agree to that.” Gongenzaka placed his hand firmly Yuri’s shoulder “Well said Yuri! Gong will definitely help in the defence of You Show!”

“But you’re not a student though.” Sora said from where he was sitting causing Gongenzaka to freeze up “If it’s only students that are fighting these lot, why shouldn’t it just be Yuri, Yuzu and I. Isn’t that correct?”

“To think you would exclude a man such as myself is unforgiveable.” Himika chose to ignore this “It seems that your students’ feelings are all one in the same.” _‘Well except for one…’_ She thought looking towards Demil who was now on the verge of an actual mental breakdown. He was completely slumped against the back of the wall and to avoid people seeing his face his jacket was covering it, _‘That Kaimia is a ticking time bomb, and it’s only a matter of time now._ ’

“Well then let the games begin.” Himika said as three students, two boys and one girl appeared next to her. “We’ll duel with the best of three rule, first one to two victories wins simple as.” Sora grinned as he made his way to face Himika “I’ll go first!” He was however pulled back by Yuzu as Yuri stepped up “I’m going first.”

“Fine by me.” Himika said “After all those others are unreliable so I suppose it’s for the best if you want to end this quickly.” Sora was offended massively by this “What are you talking about hag! Just you wait! I’ll show you my strength!” He was pulled back again by Yuzu “Now that’s enough out of you!” She scolded him harshly.

The first LDS student came forward “It’s is in your best interest if you don’t think about winning each of the students here are the top grade in their respective summoning methods and the one you’ll be facing Yuri is none other than…” The boy question spoke “I’m Hokuto Shijima of LDS’ Xyz summoning course.”

“Xyz…” Yuzu said as she clasped her hands together, the word reverberating in her mind causing her to once again think about Dark Rebellion and Yuto. “You better watch out Yuri…” Tatsuya said after searching Hokuto up online “His record is that out of the fifty eight duels he has participated in he has won fifty three. That’s a ninety one percent win ratio!”

Futoshi spoke up next “He has top scores in junior class rank testing.” Ayu was the only one who noticed Demil’s impending breakdown but still spoke up about Hokuto “Forget his test scores I hear that he is the favourite for this year’s championship!”

“Favourite or not I’m going to beat you,” Yuri said facing his opposite number in the duel arena “after all it isn’t going to be hard when you using an inferior form of summoning!” Yuri teased causing Hokuto to fly into a fit of rage “What’s that supposed to mean!” Yuri smiled smugly “Oh nothing much…”

“Our students are trained to handle any conceivable situation so the choice of action field is up to.” Himika said to Shuzo “Anything you say…” He then carefully selected the field “Action field Cosmic Sanctuary on!” The field transformed into a starlight background with ruins on top of floating chunks of rock “Use the power of the stars to fight Yuri!” Hokuto looked around for a bit before bursting into a fit of unrestrained laughter “Of all the fields you could’ve chosen you pick the one that suits me best!” All of the You Show crowd sighed heavily except for Shuzo who was petrified “What!”

_‘To borrow language from Demil, you mong Principal…’_ Yuri thought “It doesn’t matter if it is the field you’re the most comfortable on I’ll still wipe the floor with you and your pitiful Xyz skills!” Yuri activated his disk as Hokuto did the same soon the action duel chant was started.  

“Duelists locked in battle!”

“Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!”

“They storm through this field! Behold!”

“This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! ACTION…”

“DUEL!”


	11. LDS vs You Show

Yuri LP: 4000               Hokuto LP: 4000                    Cards x5

**Turn 1**

“Since you’re the invader I think it’s only fair if I take the first turn.” Yuri said “Using the scale 1 Predaplant Moray Nepenthes and scale 8 Predaplant Flytrap I set the pendulum scale!” The two plant monsters appeared in blue columns of light with the numbers 1 and 8 underneath the respective cards, outside the arena there was a look of wonder and amazement on the faces of the three kids. However Yuzu still couldn’t tell the difference between Yuto and the boy she had developed feelings for over the seven years he had been in her life. _“Yuri I want so badly to believe that it wasn’t you I saw at that warehouse but I’m not sure.”_   

“With this scale I can summon monsters level 2 through to 7 all at the same time! Swing pendulum of the soul! Draw an arc of light across the ether! Pendulum summon! Appear level 5, **Predaplant** **Solanum Dulca**!” Solanum Dulca was a cross between a plant commonly known as deadly nightshade and a dragon that had pitch black wings with small spores all over them

Predaplant Solanum Dulca Level 5, Plant, DARK, Effect ( **2100** /300) PS: 4

“I’ve never seen big bro Yuri use that card before!” Futoshi exclaimed.

_‘If he was hiding his true strength up until now then we really are sunk.’_ Himeka thought, carefully observing every move of the Predaplant duelist, any sliver of information could be valuable data for the fight ahead.  

“I place one card facedown and end my turn. Let’s see your skills, if you have any that is.” Yuri teased the XYZ user who flew into a fight of rage “Just you watch me! Once I’ve gotten started you’re going to wish didn’t open your mouth!”

Even the LDS side groaned at the size of Hokuto’s ego _‘I wish you wouldn’t open your mouth but I guess we can’t have everything perfect.’_ Yuri’s mental comments pretty much summed up everyone’s thoughts

Yuri’s cards x1

**Turn 2**

“My turn! And to start I summon Constellar Algiedi!” The monster was coated in white amour and held a golden staff.

Constellar Algiedi Level 4, Spellcaster, LIGHT, Effect ( **1600** /1400)

“Algiedi’s effect! When this card is normal summoned I special summon a level 4 Constellar directly from my hand! Come on out Constellar Kaus!” Kaus made its appearance next Algiedi.

Constellar Kaus Level 4, Beast-warrior, LIGHT, Effect ( **1800** /700)

“Now I activate Kaus’ effect! Up to twice per turn I can raise or decrease the level of a Constellar monster on my field by one!” Kaus shot two arrows in the air, one landed in front of itself and the other in front Algiedi raising both of their levels to five

Hokuto stood in a grandiose pose as he began the final step in his plan for the turn “I now overlay my level 5 Constellar Algiedi and level 5 Constellar Kaus! XYZ summon! Rank 5! Constellar Pleiades!”

The XYZ monster appeared on the platform behind Hokuto, it had white and golden armour and like Algiedi it held a golden staff but this one was much larger, two yellow orbs orbited around it.

Constellar Pleiades, Rank 5, Warrior, LIGHT, XYZ, Effect ( **2500** /1500) OLU: 2

“Wait, Rank? Why not level?” Tatsuya asked aloud.

“Xyz monsters are an amalgamation of the monsters used to summon them,” Demil spoke, standing up although still not quite at ease with himself “each card will be summoned by at least two monsters, the summoned monster will gain a rank equivalent to level of the monsters used to summon it.” Demil explained in a roundabout way.

He then felt Ayu tug at his trouser leg “What about those lights orbiting around it.”

 “There its overlay units, each xyz monster will gain overlay units for the amount monsters it has as material, they are used to activate their effects.” The three kids stood and looked in awe at the Xyz monster in front of them.

“How come you know so much?” Sora asked, leaning on the wall. “Last I recall you didn’t know how to Xyz summon.”

“Ah, you see, theory and practical are two different things, I don’t know the practical side but I know the theory side from my own duels well enough to be sure of what is going on out there.” Demil’s words took on his usual tone, signifying his return to form.

“I now use Pleiades’ effect! By using one overlay unit I can target one card on the field and return that target the owner’s hand!” Hokuto declared as one of the overlay units was absorbed into Pleiades. “I target your Predaplant Solanum Dulca!” Pleiades went to send the dragon plant back to Yuri’s hand but was stop in its tracks when it suddenly became covered in multiple tiny spores which soon ballooned to massive sizes, fully coating the Xyz Constellar.

Hokuto looked at his monster in shock “Hey! What’s the big idea here?”

Yuri couldn’t help but laugh at the Xyz user’s misfortune, earning a glare from the duelist in question in response he simply wagged his finger “Solanum Dulca’s effect. When it’s targeted for an effect by a monster the monster in question will lose its effect and attack points!”

“What!”

Pleiades ATK: **2500 - 0**

 “Your Xyz monster is now useless.” Hokuto threw another fit of rage upon Pleiades nullification “How dare you! Who the hell do you think you are?!”

Demil smirked “I thought I had anger issues, this guy’s on another star system.”

“I place one card facedown and end my turn.” Hokuto said annoyed as his face down appeared and then vanished.

_‘He was able to neuter Hokuto’s monster with ease, he really is a terrifying power.’_ Himika thought in fear at the fusion duelist.

Hokuto’s cards: x3

**Turn 3**     

“My turn, I draw. To begin with I activate the pendulum effect of my Predaplant Fly Trap! I target one monster on my opponent’s field that has a predator counter, by removing that counter I can destroy that card!”

Fly Trap suddenly appeared out of the pendulum columns and grew to an enormous size, before snapping its jaws and devouring the Constellar Xyz monster whole, leaving Hokuto all but defenseless bar his face down.

“Now I summon Lonefire Blossom!” The infamous Plant monster appeared next to Solanum Dulca

Lonefire Blossom, Level 3, Plant, Effect, FIRE ( **500** /1400)

“I activate its effect sacrificing itself to summon another copy from my deck, then I’ll repeat this again to summon yet another Lonefire. This time I’ll release it to summon my Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio.”

Predaplant Ophrys Scorpio, Level 3, Plant, Effect, DARK ( **1200** /800)

“Ophrys Scorpio’s effect! By sending the last card in my to the graveyard I can summon Predaplant Darlington Cobra from my deck in defence mode.” Darlington Cobra slithered into view.

Predaplant Darlington Cobra, Level 3, Plant, Effect, DARK (1000/ **1500** )

“Cobra’s effect allows the addition of Polymerization to my hand.” Yuri’s disk ejected the card which he held in front of him mocking the defenseless Hokuto.

In the observation rooms, both sides had totally different reactions to Yuri’s set up.

At the You Show side of things, the mood was one of excitement, especially to the young trio.

“Oh yeah! We’ve got him now!” Tatsuya exclaimed happily.

However not everyone in the room was in a good mood.

Yuzu was struggling still to understand the situation that unfolded in the warehouse the night before. Yuri’s dueling was even more of an indication of her torn mental state, his attitude to dueling was far different from what it usually was and she had never seen him act this condescending during match before, sure he did do this from time to time but not to this extent. She briefly turned to look at Demil before turning back to the duel _‘Yuri. Demil.’_ Yuzu clasped her hands together.

Demil too seemed to be deep in thought, but instead of being torn like Yuzu he was deeply disgusted _‘I saw that look you gave me, Yuri’s right, in the face of irrefutable evidence you still continue to be conflicted. I don’t know what you saw but I know what you didn’t see.’_

In the LDS side, things weren’t much better, the other two waiting duelists had looks of concern on their faces at the fate of their teammate.

Himika remained stone-faced but deep down was petrified _‘There it is. Now the moment has come. How dangerous is he really?’_

“Now I activate Polymerization! Fusing together my two Predaplants together! Two beautiful plants with an insect-alluring fragrance. Now become one, and from a hell under your petals, give birth to another dreadful terror! Fusion summon! Appear, poisonous dragon with hungering fangs! Level 8! Starve Venom Fusion Dragon!” Yuri's venomous dragon rose out of the fusion spiral, roaring loudly, sending shivers down the spines of the LDS crew.

Starve Venom Fusion Dragon, Level 8, Fusion, Effect, Dragon, DARK ( **2800** /2000) PS: 4

“Battle!” Yuri declared with the fullest intent to end this façade here and now “First, Starve Venom attacks you directly!”

Starve Venom was ready to strike however, “Trap activate! **Constellar Stargate!** By banishing a Constellar Xyz monster from my graveyard I half any battle damage for the rest of this turn!” A vacuum appeared in front of the Constellar duelist and sucked in Starve Venom’s attack, although not strong enough to contain the attack the void did weaken it, but it was still strong enough to push Hokuto to the edge of the platform.

Hokuto’s LP: **4000 – 2600**

“Solanum Dulca, direct attack!” Solanum Dulca then shot out a black ball of flames that too was sucked in terminating half of its power.

Hokuto’s LP: **2600 – 1550**

“With that I end my turn.”

Yuri’s cards x0

**Turn 4**

“That’s the first time I’ve taken damage in so many duels,” Hokuto groveled “You’ll pay for that!” He shouted, jumping to his feet and drawing.

“I activate the spell **Constellar Realignment!** ” The card art depicted Pleiades in the forefront and in the background there was a large dragon silhouette flanked by Kaus alongside another currently unknown monster. “This card allows me to summon two level four Constellar monsters back from the graveyard but they are destroyed at the end of this turn.”

A purple vortex appeared in the ground and out of stepped “I revive Constellar Kaus and Algiedi!”

“Now I use Kaus’ effect. Raising both his and Algiedi’s level by 1. Now I once again overlay my two Constellar monsters. I Xyz summon! My second Constellar Pleiades!”

Yuri scoffed “Oh please, what is that thing going to do if it failed the first time round?”

“Well you’re about to see for yourself! Using the rank 5 Constellar Pleiades I rebuild the overlay network!”

Mouths fell a gape in the You Show side.

“What?! Can he even do that?!” Futoshi shouted in concern.

“Yes. Certain monsters can also be Xyz summoned by overlaying the target monster again allowing for an even more powerful monster with less set up required.” Demil answered before sneering “It’s stupid if you ask me.”

“I Xyz Summon! Rank 6! Constellar Ptolemy M7!” Out of the Xyz vortex came a large yellow dragon.

Constellar Ptolemy M7, Dragon, Rank 6, XYZ, Effect, LIGHT ( **2700** /2000) OLU: 1

“You shouldn’t have messed with me! I activate M7’s effect! By using one overlay unit I can send one monster you control back to your hand or in this case the extra deck! Because I’ll be returning your hideous dragon back there!”

Yuri scowled as he was forced to return Starve Venom, but not all was lost just yet, he jumped on his remaining monster “Let’s go Dulca.” The dragon flew off with its master to search for an action card.

“There’s no use running! M7 attack and wipe out his last line of defence!” M7 charged up and unleased fury in an attempt to annihilate its target, however just as the blast was about to land.

“Action card miracle! My monster’s destruction is negated and battle damaged is halved!” A barrier formed around Yuri’s monster deflecting the attack.

Yuri’s LP: **4000 – 3650**

“Lucky.” Hokuto sneered “I’ll end my turn here.”

 Hokuto’s cards x3

**Turn 5**

_‘Time to end this.’_  Yuri thought, grasping Yuya’s pendant tightly before drawing “Moray Nepenthes’ Pendulum effect your monster gains one predator counter and its effect is negated. Next is Fly Trap’s effect is next and by now you should be all too aware of that effect.” Ptolemy was shattered instantly.

Hokuto stood there dumbfounded, over in the LDS the mood was one of complete ire “That idiot!” Shouted a tanned girl “Why didn’t he play a face down!?”

“Battle! Solanum Dulca! End this farce of a duel!” Before dealing the finishing blow Solanum Dulca ensnared Hokuto in a multitude of sharp vines preventing his escape.

It then unleased all of its pent up energy, covering the Xyz duelist in soot and earning Yuri and You Show the victory.

Hokuto’s LP: **1550 – 0**

Yuri: **Win!**

With the first Duel for You Show's fate finished with Yuri the victor, he exited the now de-activated Action Field, while Hokuto was on the floor in the room exhausted, "Big Bro that was amazing!" Ayu shouted, "Huh? AHHH!" Yuri cried out as he was tackled by Tatsuya, Futoshi and Ayu, with him now on the floor with them crowding around him.

"You did it, your dueling made Gong happier than on his birthday." Gongenzaka said as he pulled Yuri up into a bone crushing hug, "Gong... please... let go… you're crushing me..." Yuri whined out while Yuzu looked at him concerned.

Demil smirked at Yuri _‘Good to know you have friends that support you, Yuri.’_ He then looked at Yuzu and frowned _‘Well, most of the time anyway.’_ When Demil closed his eyes, he briefly saw himself in an unfamiliar city with two people he didn’t recognise, they seemed to be at odds over some issue with the male one shouting something about trust. Shocked he opened his eyes back to reality.

“Yuzu!" Yuto’s image said to Yuzu, which shocked Yuzu a bit, but then the image changed back to Yuri, making her imagine that it was the other. "Oh, yes Yuri?" she asked, "Are you going next? Because, personally I want this whole fiasco over with quickly.”

"Oh yeah! I will." she said slowly but loud enough for them to hear her. "Good, I wish you the best of luck.” Yuri said to her. This made Yuzu gain a serious expression, "Don't worry Yuri, just leave it to me, after all the school is at stake, so we need to get serious about this." she said holding her bracelet arm to her chest.

"I can't believe it, you've allowed a duelist from a third rate school to humiliate not only you, but also our school's top Xyz Summoning Course!" Himika scolded at Hokuto who was kneeling on the floor from the scolding. However, mentally her attitude was a lot different _‘If he only came here as a child with no real training then the rest of them must be even more powerful.’_ Her eyes trailed over to the Lightsworn duelist standing next to Yuri _‘Kaimia…’_ She thought spitefully.

"Now we shall begin the second duel." she said as the tanned complexion girl stood up, "Yes Madam Chairwoman," the girl said. She and Himika walked over to the You Show lot, with them now seeing them, "My name is Masumi Kotsu of the LDS's Fusion Course! And I will be the next to duel one of you." she said. "Fusion, well, this just got interesting." Sora said grinning.

"Now Fusion, and Xyz was just before, so then all that's left is Synchro.” Yuri said deducing what would come after this if a third match was required _‘But who would go against the synchro user?’_ As he said this Masumi attached her duel disk to her arm.

"Do you amateurs even have what it takes to beat me?" she said full of spite at them, with most of them glaring at her in response. “Don’t listen to her Yuzu.” Yuri said, lightening Yuzu’s mood slightly “It’s probably just hot air like the last guy.”

_‘The schools on the line, as well as Yuri's reputation, I can't lose this duel for them.’_ Yuzu thought determined but soon enough she began to think about Yuto ‘ _Even if I don't know if that guy was Yuri at all...’_

“Are you ready?” Masumi asked, Yuzu nodded in reply.

Both Yuzu and Masumi had their Duel Disk ready, all they needed was for Shuzo to get the field ready, "Now I can't go wrong with this one, for my beautiful girl's Duel..." he said pressing some buttons, "The perfect scene would be this one..." he said activating the Action Field, "I activate the Action Field, Crystal Corridor!" he said as the machine's ARC System started to generate it.

When it field was complete it was as Shuzo said a corridor made from crystal, with some bits here and there different colours, while flat light blue crystal plates appeared floated. "Yuzu, this field is the perfect way to show off your sparkling skills, it’s time for you to shine!" he said as he waved to his daughter, while said daughter was embarrassed and blushing.

"This is so embarrassing dad..." Yuzu said while Masumi gave a small laugh, "It's seems your father sees you as a sparkling gem, but we both know the truth..." she said now irritating Yuzu, "What the hell do you mean by that?" she shouted at her.

"What I mean is that you're a fake, a liar, and afraid to tell the truth about your friend." Masumi said slowly to her, "Shut up! You don't know a thing about me!" Yuzu shouted back, "Your right about that, but I do know a thing about jewels, after all my father is a Gem Merchant, and I've seen thousands and thousands of jewels, and from all that I can tell what a real jewel looks like and shines..." she explained.

"You however don't have that shine, so maybe you can fool your father and your friends, but you can't fool me, as I can see it in your eyes, even you don't know what happened, making them become filled with doubt." she said shocking Yuzu, with her seeing the look alike. "You can believe whatever you want, the only way to actually prove anything is to Duel and see whose belief is stronger." Yuzu said back quickly at her.

“Duelists locked in battle!"

"Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!"

"They storm through this field! Behold!"

"This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! ACTION…"

"DUEL!"

Yuzu's LP: 4000    Masumi’s LP: 4000     Cards x5

**Turn 1**

"I'll take the first turn!" Masumi said, "I activate the Spell, Gem-Knight Fusion!" she said as the archetype specific card appeared.

"With this card I can Fuse Gem-Knight monsters in my Hand or Field to Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck!" she said, "Already?" Yuzu shouted worried. "Correct, so now I Fuse Gem-Knight Tourmaline and Emerald in my Hand!" Masumi said as the two appeared on the field, glowing yellow and green, "Stone warrior of lightning, green knight of good fortune, shine your combined light to bring about a new radiance!" she said as they swirled into the Fusion vortex.

Gem-Knight Topaz, Level: 6, Thunder, Fusion, Effect, EARTH, ( **1800** /1800)

"I Fusion Summon! Appear Level 6! Gem-Knight Topaz!" she said placing the Fusion monster onto her blade, with it appearing on her field.

"Wow she Fusion Summoned on her first turn, I can't believe it." Yuzu said slowly, stunned at the sheer speed.

"Here’s something for you that you should believe, you don't stand a chance against me!" Masumi said,

"Says the girl who brought out a monster with ATK that could be Normal Summoned." retorted Yuzu.

“Well let’s see if you can get pass this monster then, otherwise it may lead to your defeat!" Masumi said, "I place one card face down and then end my turn!" she added as the card appeared then faded.

Masumi's cards x 1

**Turn 2**

"We'll see who defeats who!" Yuzu said drawing her card, which was her ace, "To start this off, I'm activating the Sweet sounding Spell, 1st Movement Solo!" she said, "When I control no monsters, I can Special Summon a Level 4 or below Melodious monster from my Hand or Deck, and I choose Aria the Melodious Diva!" she said as the Diva appeared with a soothing tune.

Aria the Melodious Diva: Level: 4, Fairy, Effect, LIGHT, ATK/DEF: 1600/1200

"And when I control a Melodious monster, I can Special Summon this sweet singing Diva from my Hand, appear Sonata the Melodious Diva!" she said with her second monster appearing.

Sonata the Melodious Diva: Level: 3, Fairy, Effect, LIGHT, ATK/DEF: 1200/1000

"Now for you and Topaz to listen to the music, as now I tribute these two to Advance Summon." she said as Aria and Sonata floated up, grabbed a hold of each other, then burst into particle, which then swirled together. "Appear Mozarta the Melodious Maestra!" she said as her ace now appeared on the field.

Mozarta the Melodious Maestra: Level: 8, Fairy, Effect, LIGHT, ATK/DEF: 2600/2000

"Yes she got her ace out already!" The kids said, collectively amazed at the monster, "I now activate her effect! Once per turn, she allows me to Special Summon one Melodious monster from my Hand." Yuzu said as Mozarta waved about her hands with her right releasing a light. "So now I Summon Canon the Melodious Diva!" she said with the next Melodious monster appearing.

Canon the Melodious Diva: Level: 4, Fairy, Effect, LIGHT, ( **1400** /2000)

"Now to start this show, I attack Topaz with Mozarta! Graceful Wave!" she said with Mozarta releasing a wave of sound which headed straight for Topaz, destroying the Fusion monster.

Masumi's LP's: **4000** **– 3200**

"So what did you think of that? Was it show stopping?" she said while all Masumi did after getting over the damage was smirk at her, "Canon, now it's time for your role, attack Masumi directly!" she said with Canon singing out a beam of sound that hit Masumi, pushing her back.

Masumi's LP's: **3200 – 1800**

"Alright Big Sis!" Ayu, Futoshi and Tatsuya said at the same time, "Well done Yuzu, now all you need to do is finish it net turn.” Yuri said, moderately happy.

"Okay, so you have some skill, but not nearly enough to beat me." Masumi said dusting herself off.

"We'll though see, won't we?" Yuri said.

"Oh we will see, as I know how my turn is going to play out." Masumi said cockily.

"I activate Canon's effect! Once per turn, I can change the position of 1 Melodious monster I control, so I use the effect on Canon herself!" Yuzu said as she placed Canon's card sideways, with Canon then glowing blue, "And with that I end my turn!" she declared confidently.

Yuzu’s cards x1

**Turn 3**

"My turn. This shall be the end of the line for you." Masumi said drawing her card, with her smirking at what she drew, "I Normal Summon Gem-Knight Alexandrite!" she said as the white gem monster appeared.

Gem-Knight Alexandrite: Level: 4, Rock, Effect, EARTH, ( **1800** /1200)

“And now I activate its effect, by tributing it, I can Special Summon a Gem-Knight monster from my Deck." Masumi said as she took Alexandrite's card and placed it into the Graveyard, while it form on the field released countless beams of light from its gems, with it disappearing, "I now Special Summon Gem-Knight Crystal!" she said with the new Gem-Knight appearing.

Gem-Knight Crystal: Level: 7, Rock, Normal, EARTH, ( **2450** /1950)

"Looks like you were wrong, as Crystal doesn't have enough ATK to beat Mozarta." Yuzu said while Masumi smirked, "And who said Crystal was going to do the deed, cause I activate my Trap, Fragment Fusion!" she said as her Trap was now face up. Upon hearing the trap, Yuri and Demil were shocked, "A Fusion Trap?" they said stunned while some of the students looked at them,

"A Fusion Trap?" Tatsuya asked, "It's a Trap that allows for Fusion Summoning, and they can have powerful effects sometimes." Sora said.

Demil left briefly before returning with one of his multitude of deck boxes. It was fusion deck that relied mainly trap cards, the archetype was a one previously unknown new one called “This is a **HellPrince** deck.” Demil then took out one of the trap cards “This is **HellPrince Resurrection Fusion.** It allows me to banish monsters from my deck and graveyard to fusion summon all of this during the opponents turn.” Most jaws dropped upon this revelation and turned nervously back to the duel

"With this card, I can banish monsters in my Graveyard to Fusion Summon a Gem-Knight Fusion Monster from my Extra Deck!" Masumi said.

"I banish Gem-Knight Alexandrite, Tourmaline and Emerald!" she said as her Duel Disk signalled her that they were now out of play, "That girl, Masumi is better with Fusion than I thought, but still nowhere near my Level.” Sora said sumgly

"Magical rock of dark and light, stone warrior of lightning, and green knight of good fortune, shine your combined light to bring about a new radiance!" she as Alexandrite, Emerald and Tourmaline shined white, green and yellow respectively, before they swirled into the Fusion vortex. "I Fusion Summon! Appear the mighty Gem-Knight Master Diamond!" she said, as she grabbed the card from her Extra Deck when it ejected itself from there, and with the radiant gem monster appearing on the field.

Gem-Knight Master Diamond: Level: 9, Rock, Fusion, Effect, EARTH ( **2900** /2500)

"What do you think? My Master Diamond is a cut above the rest." Masumi said proudly while Yuzu got worried, "I now activate its effect! I now banish a Level 7 or below Gem-Knight monster from my Graveyard, with my choice being Topaz!" she said with again her Duel Disk telling her that Topaz was now out of play.

"But why would she...?" Yuzu said confused.

"Yuzu!" someone shouted "Huh?" Yuzu said when she heard her name with her looking at Yuri's direction, "Be careful and keep your guard up." Yuri said but all she saw was Yuto’s ghost on the field, with her shocked at seeing him.

“Listen here.” Demil spoke up next but once again all she was able to see was Janus staring back at her “Pay close attention to her next few plays, it will decide if you win or lose.”

"What's wrong? Are your eyes playing a trick on you?" Masumi asked Yuzu, while she started to look around dazed, “Why? Why do I keep seeing his face?” she thought.

"Gem-Knight Crystal attack Canon with your Crystal Barrage!" Masumi shouted as Crystal released shards at Canon, destroying it in an explosion, since Canon was in defence Yuzu didn't take any damage.

"And now, Master Diamond attack Mozarta!" she said with Diamond going to slash at Mozarta, who tried to fight back, but she was struck down from Diamond's sword, with her getting a slash mark on her chest, as she then exploded.

Yuzu’s LP: **4000 – 3700**

 "She just destroyed Mozarta." Ayu said sad, "At least she only took 300 damage!" Futoshi said, "But who said I was finished…" Masumi said lowly. "What do you mean by that?" Yuzu said concerned.

"If you remember, I banished Topaz with Master Diamond's effect, the reason for that is because it allowed Master Diamond to gain Topaz's effects until the end of this turn!" she explained to her. "

So Master Diamond has Topaz's effects!" Yuzu said shocked, "Correct, and that borrowed effect now activates! Since Master Diamond destroyed a monster and sent it to the Graveyard, you take damage equal to Mozarta's ATK!" Masumi said as Diamond's arm glowed with electricity, with Diamond then shooting it at Yuzu.

Yuzu’s LP: **3700 – 1600**

"Oh and also, something I neglected to mention was that with Topaz's effect, he can attack twice per turn." Masumi said, with Yuzu getting up and becoming shocked by this.

"Whelp, she tried at the very least.” Demil said, collecting another one of his boxes, this one being a synchro deck.

"Poor Yuzu..." Ayu muttered.

_‘So if she attacks me directly and hits it’s all over.’_ Yuzu thought as her vision blurred a bit, with her then looking to the side and seeing an Action Card within her vicinity.

"Battle! Master Diamond attack again but this time strike her directly!" Masumi shouted, while Yuzu sprang for the Action Card.

"Wait, why is she?" Yuri began to questions but then he saw it, “All she’s seeing is." he said.

While this happened Diamond started to swing his sword, _"Almost there..."_ Yuzu thought reaching for the Action Card, but all she touched was the floor, with no card in sight anymore, _“But. Why?_ _”_ she thought with her looking behind, and there it was, the Action Card.

_‘It was over there… all I saw was its reflection.’_ She thought.

"Just like your eyes to trick you, but you can't trick me, I know it was Yuya that attacked Sawatari!" Masumi said to her, while Diamond brought its sword down in front of Yuzu, sending her flying backwards.

Yuzu’s LP: **1600 – 0**

Masumi: **Win!**

"Yuzu are you sure you're fine?" Yuri asked, pulling her up while the others crowded around them.

_"_ _W_ _hy now, my heart says that Yuri's not guilty, Demil too… but my eyes saw what happened, those guys looked just like them."_ she thought into Yuri's shoulder.

Subconsciously she pushed Yuri to the ground. "Owww! What did I do this time?" Yuri whinged as he got up now rubbing his back.

"I-I'm so sorry!" Yuzu said.

"I know you are, but my back thinks otherwise." Yuri moaned, rubbing his back some more.

"And I'm sorry about the Duel too." she added.

"Don’t beat yourself up about it, you can’t assume that you’ll win every time.” Demil said in an attempt to lighten her spirits.

"He's right, we still have one more chance to win this." Yuri said to her, with her slowly smiling and going slightly red.

"Oh you say that as if it’s going to be that easy." a voice to the side said, making them look at the target.

"And who are you, wooden sword boy?" Demil asked sarcastically.

"Name's Yaiba Todo, and I'm the best Synchro Summoner of LDS, now which one of you chumps is my next victim?" Yaiba said cockily to them.

“That would be me.” Demil held up the deck in his hand and cackled. His eye turning from yellow to red, greatly unnerving everyone “Word to the wise, I’ve never lost.” Briefly his other eye became visible, it too was red.

_‘No, if Kaimia gets his way we’ll lose for definite if o-’_ Himika’s thoughts were interrupted when Gongenzaka spoke up “Gong the man really wished he was part of the school, then Gong could teach them a lesson for humiliating Yuzu like that." he grumbled.

Himika took her chance “Then why don’t you?” She asked slyly.

Demil didn’t look at all pleased “You know very well, he isn’t member of this school, so you win by default.” He didn’t quite grasp the irony of the statement.

“But as I recall Mr Kaimia, you aren’t a member either.” Demil growled and retreated into the background.

"Alright then Big Brows." Yaiba said to Gongenzaka, riling up his opponent.

"How dare you insult the great and powerful Gong and gets away with it, now Gong is going to put you in your place!" Gongenzaka shouted as he grabbed his Duel Disk attaching it into his arm.

"Listen, I don't have all day, and unlike the two that lost, I don't tend to, and do you know why?" Yaiba asked Gongenzaka, "Because I actually know what I'm doing!" he said with a smirk, "The nerve of that guy, saying we don't know what we’re doing." Hokuto said irritated by Yaiba. "Not to be rude, but I think he was only talking about you, seeing that I won my Duel." Masumi said crossing her arms, as she was irritated by Yaiba's comment at first but then remembered she won, while Hokuto went pale, and pulled himself into a corner, while Masumi watched him started feeling pity for him.

_‘That sword on his back is more than just show.’_ Shuzo thought looking at Yaiba, then, "Hey that gives me an idea." he said as he then typed into the system, "Is everybody ready, cause I activate the Action Field, Sword's Cemetery!" he said as the field generated once again.

When the final touches where complete both Gong and Yaiba were standing on what appeared to be a battlefield, the prime weapon to be found anywhere were swords, around the area were some dying trees, on a sort of slope was Gong while Yaiba was below on level ground.

"You know what needs to be done Gong, by just looking at the surroundings, you need to bury him!" Shuzo shouted to Gongenzaka.

"You can say all what you like, it won't matter as when we win, and we get the You Show School and all students attending it, right Principal Shuzo?" Himika said. "

Correct, and if we win, you leave us alone and drop the charges like you said right?" said Shuzo as he gave a glare to her, who returned it.

“Duelists locked in battle!"

"Kicking the earth and dancing in the air alongside their monsters!"

"They storm through this field! Behold!"

"This is the newest and greatest evolution of Dueling! ACTION…"

"DUEL!"

Gongenzaka’s LP: 4000            Yaiba’s LP: 4000              Cardsx5

**Turn 1**

"Gong will go first, and with it Gong Normal Summons Superheavy Samurai Kabuto!" Gongenzaka said as he placed the monster onto the blade.

Superheavy Samurai Kabuto: Level: 4, Machine, Effect, EARTH, ATK/DEF: 1000/2000

"And will do for Gong's turn." he said ending his turn, leaving his field almost blank.

Gong’s cards x4

“Anyone else concerned that he didn’t play anything facedown?” Demil asked, his eyes having returned to normal. However no one answered him “Fine, don’t tell me anything, not like I care.” He huffed.

**Turn 2**

"Wow, is that all you got? One weak monster, that's pathetic!" Yaiba said mocking Gongenzaka.

"Weak to you, but to Gong it's strong!" Gong retorted with a smile, "We'll see about that." Yaiba said as he drew his card, and then smirking when he saw what it was.

"To kick off my turn, I Normal Summon XX-Saber Boggart Knight!" he said as he placed the monster onto his blade with the monster taking form on the field.

XX-Saber Boggart Knight: Level: 4, Beast-Warrior, Effect, EARTH, ( **1900** /1000)

"Because it was Normal Summoned, I get to Special Summon a Level 4 or below X-Saber from my Hand, so I summon the Level 3 Tuner monster XX-Saber Fullhelmknight!" he said as a knight with long blonde hair with a Whip Sword appeared.

XX-Saber Fullhelmknight: Level: 3, Warrior, Tuner, Effect, EARTH, ATK/DEF: 1300/1000

"A Tuner monster already?" Yuri said concerned.

"Now Gong activates Kabuto's effect! Since you Special Summoned a monster, Gong can switch as many Superheavy monsters Gong controls in ATK to DEF, and until the end of the turn they were switched, all switched monsters gain 500 DEF!" Gongenzaka said as Kabuto took a guarding stance with a blue aura and gaining power.

Kabuto's DEF: **2000 – 2500**

"You played right into Gong's plan, all you needed to do was summon one monster and you could have gotten past, now let's see you get past this knight boy!" Gongenzaka said.

"Good move Gongenzaka, now keep up the defence and wear him out." Yuri said throwing his full support behind Gongenzaka.

"Ha! Like you could wear down these swords, because when I control 2 or more X-Saber monsters, I can Special Summon XX-Saber Faultroll from my Hand!" Yaiba said with a smirk as the monster appeared.

XX-Saber Faultroll: Level: 6, Warrior, Effect, EARTH, ( **2400** /2000)

"Check this out loser, I now Tune the Level 3 Fullhelmknight to the Level 4 Boggart Knight!" Yaiba shouted as Fullhelmknight jumped and span in the air, and then turned into 3 tuning rings, which lined up and enveloped Boggart Knight, who lost his colour and four stars appearing within him.

X-Saber Souza: Level: 7, Warrior, Synchro, Effect, EARTH, ( **2500** /1600)

"That monster looks nasty." Futoshi said, "So not only has he already Synchro Summoned a monster, but he still has another monster on his field. This isn’t going to be easy." Yuri said.

"And I'm not even done, as Faultroll's effect now activates! Once per turn it can Special summon a Level 4 or below X-Saber monster from my Graveyard!" he said as Faultroll took his sword and stabbed it into the ground, causing a dark portal to open. "I'm calling back Fullhelmknight to the field!" he said as once again the Tuner monster appeared.

"With that Tuner back, Yaiba can do another Synchro Summon!" Shuzo said sweating. "And now I Tune Fullhelmknight to the Level 6 Faultroll!" Yaiba said as the Tuner once again turned into the rings, with Faultroll flying through them, losing his colour as six stars appeared.

"I Synchro Summon! Level 9! XX-Saber Gottoms!" he shouted as he placed the Synchro card from his Extra Deck onto his blade, with armour covered monster appeared.

XX-Saber Gottoms: Level: 9, Beast-Warrior, Synchro, Effect, EARTH ( **3100** /2600)

"Face it Big Brows, you can't beat me! And when this is over with you losing, LDS will take over You Show!" Yaiba said smirking, "I wonder whose locker I'll take!" he added, "Maybe Yuri's and Yuzu's!" he finished with a laugh.

"Hope this blowhard doesn't worm his way into Gong's head, he needs to concentrate on this Duel." Yuri said looking at Gong who was very calm about Yaiba's turn.

"Aww what's wrong, too scared to do anything?" Yaiba mocked, enjoying this way too much

"If all you do is talk, you don't have the right to call yourself a Duellist, or even mock another Duellist!" Gong said, annoying Yaiba.

"Oh I'll show you how a Duellist plays." he said irritated, "XX-Saber Gottoms attack Superheavy Kabuto!" he said with Gottoms charging at the Superheavy monster, and then shooting a beam at Kabuto, which destroyed it.

"Ha see that, got past your plan, as Gottoms gets the job done, and the next job is for Souza, who will attack you directly!" he said pointing at Gong, with Souza jumped high into the air, throwing his sword outwards, and then bringing them into a cross, which manifested an energy cross, with said cross hitting Gongenzaka and pushing him back,

Gongenzaka's LP's: **4000 – 1500**

"And with me now winning, I end my turn with a face down!" Yaiba said as the card appeared then faded.

Yaiba's cards x 2

**Turn 3**

"And now its Gong's turn!" Gongenzaka shouted as he drew is card, with said draw creating a strong gust of wind from it, _‘Good… now Gong can really show what Gong can do.’_

"Since you control 2 or more monsters, Gong can Special Summon Superheavy Samurai Scales!" he said placing said card onto his blade, with the monster carrying two pot pans on each end of a stick over its shoulders.

Superheavy Samurai Scales: Level: 4, Machine, Effect, EARTH, ( **800** /1800)

"Now with Scales' effect, Gong can Special Summon 1 Level 4 or below Superheavy Samurai from Gong's Graveyard, and Gong picks Kabuto!" he said as Kabuto appeared courtesy of Scale. "Unfortunately you two can't stick around, as Gong now tribute you both to bring out something that will play in Gong's favour." he said as both Scales and Kabuto turned into beams on energy, which merged together, with a monster appearing out of the combined beam.

"Appear Level 8! Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei in defence mode!" he shouted as the monster appeared out of the beam.

Superheavy Samurai Big Benkei: Level: 8, Machine, Effect, EARTH, (1000/ **3500** )

"Seriously, you should just forfeit, that monster doesn't have the attack power to get passed my monsters. The only thing it’s good for is being a shield." Yaiba said.

"Wait a minute, how did Gong summon that monster in defence mode? When you advanced summon it must be in attack, or else you need to set it in face down DEF position." Tatsuya said confused.

"Big Benkei's effect switches him into defence when Normal or Special Summoned in attack!" Gongenzaka explained,

"As I said, it doesn't matter, as your shield is useless." Yaiba said closing his eye with a smirk,

"A shield can be just as offence as a sword." Gongenzaka said confusing him, "Now Big Benkei attack XX-Saber Gottoms!" Gongenzaka said with this shocking most everyone except Yuri, Yuzu and Shuzo.

"But it can't, it’s in DEF position!” Yaiba shouted out in shock.

"True but Big Benkei's effect allows all Superheavy monsters to attack while in DEF position, using their DEF for damage calculation!" Gongenzaka said with Big Benkei erupting steam from his joints, with him then slamming his hand into the ground, causing it to crack with fire erupting and hitting Gottoms.

"So Gong can still deal damage while still having a strong defence!" Tatsuya said now cheerful about how the Duel was playing out now, while Gottoms was swallowed up by the eruption, while the wind from the eruption hitting Yaiba.

_“What a stupid effect.”_ JD’s spirit appeared on Demil’s shoulder. “What do you mean by that?” Demil asked curiously, never before hearing JD decry something as stupid.

_“It allows him to attack without worrying about taking damage when it’s destroyed. A stupid yet useful effect.”_ Demil nodded as he turned his attention back to the duel.

Yaiba's LP's: **4000 – 3600**

“Gong believes that's enough hurting for now, so Gong ends his turn!"

Gong’s hand x3

**Turn 4**

"Oh! I'll show you some hurt!" Yaiba growled out as he drew his card, "I now Normal summon a Second Boggart Knight!" he said as the second copy of Boggart appeared when he placed its card on the blade. "As you know Boggart Knight allows me the Special Summon an X-Saber monster from my Hand, so I Summon XX-Saber Ragigura!" he then placed another X-Saber card on his blade, with this one being reptilian in form.

XX-Saber Ragigura: Level 1, Beast-Warrior, Effect, EARTH, ( **200** /1000)

“When Ragigura is Summoned, I can add 1 X-Saber in my Graveyard to my Hand!" Yaiba said as Ragigura held his blade up, with this ejecting a card from Yaiba's Graveyard slot. "I pick Faultroll, and since I control 2 or more X-Saber monsters, I can Special Summon it!" he said as once again the monster appeared, "And then with its effect, I can Special Summon a Level 4 of below X-Saber from my Graveyard!" he said.

"But he already has four monsters, does he need more?" Ayu whined out, "I Special Summon back XX-Saber Fullhelmknight!" Yaiba said as the Tuner monster reappeared, with the kids worried more, "This can't be good." Tatsuya cried out, "That's because it isn't!" Yaiba said to them.

"Keep your cards in check, as now I Tune the Level 3 Fullhelmknight to the Level 6 Faultroll!" Yaiba shouted as the monsters did their actions once again.

"I Synchro Summon! Level 9! XX-Saber Gottoms!" he said placing the second Gottoms onto his blade, with it appearing on the field.

"I can't believe it, Yaiba brought out a second Gottoms already!" Yuzu said concerned,

"Don't worry Yuzu, Gong is safe, seeing that Big Benkei has enough defence to keep him safe and even if it were destroyed he’d take no damage." Yuya said to her, while Yaiba was now moving about the field.

"I wouldn't be so sure about that." Yaiba said as he swiped his sword, creating a gust of wind across the field, by doing this an action card floated up, with him then grabbing it. "This Action Card will decide if he survives." he said then looking at the card and then grinned.

"I activate the Action Spell, Extreme Sword!" he said with the lot in the viewing room shocked, "This card gives my Gottoms 1000 ATK! More than enough to finish your monster off!" Yaiba said, as Gottoms sword glowed and extended,

Gottoms’ ATK: **3100 – 4100**

"Heheheh, that's the best thing about Action Cards, anything can happen, Gottoms attack Big Benkei!" he said with Gottoms bringing its sword down and it releasing a beam at its target, with said target being covered in an explosion.

"I hope Benkei is alright." Yuzu said.

"As I said before. At least it was in DEF Position, otherwise Gong would have taken damage from that." Yuri said, not too concerned.

"That's where you’re wrong, because I now activate the Trap, Meteor Rain!" Yaiba shouted out as his trap flipped upwards.

"When a monster I control with higher ATK attacks a monster in DEF with less DEF than my monster's ATK, you take the difference as damage! That's 600, so take it Big Brows!" he said grinning, while Gongenzaka braced himself as a rush of heat swept over him.

Gong’s LP: **1500 – 900**

"And then I'll attack you directly with." Yaiba went to say, but as the smoke cleared from Benkei's apparent destruction, there was no destruction of the monster, as Big Benkei was still standing, "But… how? Why is it still here?" he said slowly out of shock.

"When Big Benkei was attacked, Gong sent Superheavy Samurai Soulfire Suit in Gong's Hand to the Graveyard." Gongenzaka said as a flashback showed him sending Soulfire Suit to the Graveyard slot just as the attack hit while Big Benkei now had a shield. "Doing this protected Benkei from being destroyed this turn!" he explained to his opponent who was annoyed by this.

"So let me get this straight, you weaken your hand just to protect your monster?" Yaiba said annoyed, "Of course otherwise Gong would have lost, and the point is to win not lose." Gongenzaka retorted to him. "But the only downside to Gong using that card is now Big Benkei loses 800 DEF." he said as the effect took place and Benkei looked visibly drained.

Big Benkei's DEF: **3500 – 2700**

"At least Benkei's defence is higher than Souza's attack." Tatsuya said.

"Shut up! I'll show you that won't last for long." Yaiba shouted out swiping his sword again, with this once again creating a gust of wind, which again made an Action Card appear. However, "Oh no! It’s closer to him!" but Gongenzaka didn’t move an inch.

"Either way, good for me then." Yaiba said running as he picked the card as it floated down to him.

"Wow, how lucky and talented can one guy be? I activate another Extreme Sword! This time I pick Souza for it!"

Souza’s ATK: **2500 – 3500**

"And now Souza attack and take out Big Benkei!" he said with Souza crossing his swords to form an energy cross, which hit Big Benkei, causing another explosion.

"Gong already told you, Soulfire Suit's effect makes it that Big Benkei can't be destroyed by battle or card effect for the rest of the turn!" Gong said.

"Whatever, Meteor Rain's effect kicks in again, making you take 800 damage this time Big Brows!" Yaiba said as Gong took the damage and being thrown backwards by it.

Gong’s LP: **900 – 100**

"Not only did you take 800 damage, but Benkei loses another 800 DEF!" he added.

Big Benkei's DEF: **2700 – 1900**

“But now with no more monsters able to attack, you have to end your battle phase, and that mean Extreme Sword's effect ends." Gong said as Gottoms and Souza's ATK returned to normal.

"Hmm, the only reason you survived those attacks was due to the cards in your Hand right?" Yaiba said to him, not expecting a reply, "Let's see how well you do without them, because now I activate Gottoms' effect! By tributing Boggart Knight, I can send one card in your Hand to the Graveyard!" he said sending the mentioned X-Saber to the Graveyard.

When this happened Gottoms lifted his sword up, with Boggart's form turning into energy, which with the help of Gottoms' sword shot right at Gong's Hand, making one of the cards glow, "What the..." Gongenzaka gasped out.

"Oh no, Gong only has one card in his Hand now." Futoshi said pressing himself against the window, while Gongenzaka then sent a Superheavy monster in his Hand to the Graveyard. "Make that no cards, as I tribute Ragigura to use Gottoms’ effect again to send to last card in your Hand to the Graveyard!" Yaiba said as Ragigura disappeared.

Again this caused Gongenzaka to send his last card, also a Superheavy monster to the Graveyard, "Now Gong has no cards left!" Tatsuya shouted in panic, as Gongenzaka was looking down at the ground. "Guess I was right, you were hoping to use those cards to save your big butt, like your Superheavy style that could have stopped me." Yaiba said as he took a card in his hand, "I place one card face down and end my turn!" he said as the card appeared then faded.

Yaiba’s cards x0

**Turn 5**

"How can Gong win with no cards in his Hand?", "If only he grabbed that Action Card...", "But why didn't he, that Action Card could have helped him win this Duel, now we're going to lose the school!" Ayu, Tatsuya and Futoshi said in that order. "I wouldn’t be worrying you three, its Gong turn now, so he can draw a card. Theoretically he has a 33.3% of drawing either a monster, spell or trap."

"It will be a monster…" Yuri said out loud, shocking them, "And how can you tell?" Demil asked him with raised eyebrows at him. "Cause Gong's Deck has never failed him before..." Yuri said then closing his eyes as he told them something.

**(Flashback)**

Roughly three years after his arrival in the standard dimension. A young Yuri and a young Gongenzaka, who was quite big at that age for his age group, were sat on a park bench. "You see Yuri, the way Gong see it is that a Duellist must trust their Deck with their whole heart and soul, instead of relying on Action Cards to help them win a Duel." Young Gongenzaka said.

"All Action Cards are just a flip of the coin, one flip, they could help you win or make you lose the Duel." he added, while Yuri was dumbfounded at him saying this.

"But that the best part of Action Cards, they make Duelling a bit fairer, and also fun at the same time!" Young Yuri said as he stood up, during his time in standard he’d grown accustom to them even though he still mainly relied his own cards and skills

"Hey could I see your Deck?" he said wanting to prove his point about the utility of Action Cards, with Gongenzaka complying with his demand.

While Yuri went through his Deck, he was very concerned about something that he thought was missing, "How do you expect to battle with these?" he questioned him, "To you Yuri, it may not work, but for Gong, it’s perfect for my Steadfast Duelling!" Gong said as he too stood up.

"Gong believes in his Deck, and Gong believes he can win with it, just the way it is." he said looking up at the sky, with Yuri following suit.

**(Flashback end)**

"At the time I didn't understand him then, but as we got older I saw how his Deck pulled him a victory even if he was losing." Yuri said then opening his eyes to look back at Gongenzaka, "Nice backstory, but that doesn't explain why you think Gong will draw a monster?" Demil retorted. "If Gong needs a monster than he'll get the monster that will help him." Yuya said to him.

"It's Gong's turn." Gong said drawing his card, creating a gust of wind that followed after the draw, _‘Perfect!’_  He thought, "Gong Normal Summons Superheavy Samurai Soulsheild Wall!" he said as the monster appeared on the field.

Superheavy Samurai Soulsheild Wall: Level: 3, Machine, Effect, EARTH ( **1200** /1200)

"How did you?" Demil said weakly looking at Yuya in shock at his right guess, while Yuya was smirking at his reaction. "And then Gong activate its effect, Gong targets a Superheavy monster, and equips it to that monster, Gong picks Big Benkei!" he said as Soulsheild Wall activated its thrusters to lift off to ground, and then slamming onto Big Benkei's arm.

"Now Big Benkei gains 1200 DEF!" he said has Big Benkei took a stance ready for battle,

Big Benkei’s DEF: **1900 – 3100**

 "What are the chances that you have a monster that can power up your monster, you sure are lucky that could have been a Spell or Trap." Yaiba said. "Gong doesn't rely on luck, Gong believes in his Deck would help in Gong's plan." Gong said, "AND NOW THE TIME FOR TALKING IS OVER!" he shouted at Yaiba.

"Battle! Big Benkei attack Souza!" he said with Big Benkei's slamming his mechanical fist into the ground, and with the added power of Soulsheild Wall's thrusters, the quake was more powerful and destroyed Souza with Yaiba bracing himself as the damage went through.

Yaiba’s LP: **3600 – 3000**

"Keep it up Gong!" Yuri shouted encouragingly to Gongenzaka.

"I'll show you… I'll crush you!" Yaiba growled out, "I activate the Trap, Gottoms Emergency Call! Since I control an X-Saber, I can Special Summon 2 X-Sabers from my Graveyard, I'm bringing back Souza and Ragigura!" he said as the two appeared on the field. "Since Ragigura was Summoned, I can add Faultroll back to my Hand." he said as Faultroll's cards was ejected from the Graveyard slot.

"Gong ends his turn." Gongenzaka said while acting calm, as he had his plan ready for when Yaiba attacked.

Gong's Hand x 0

"Amazing, it’s not even his turn, and yet Yaiba is still able to summon monsters!" Hokuto said having recovered from Masumi's insult, "It just like I've been saying to you Masumi, his X-Saber Deck is a cut above the rest!" he said to her. "Wow, you usually never say anything nice about other people's Decks, but I guess that's what happens when you lose." she said to him as he turned stone white, and being poked with an arrow, "It makes you nicer!" she added as a second arrow was poked into him.

The results of this caused Hokuto to crawl into the corner again and face said corner, while Masumi looked at him again in pity. "It’s over for Gong, with only 100 Life Points left and no card in his Hand, anyone can tell that he can't pull a win out of this!" Sora said "That's where you're wrong, as long as someone has at least 1 Life Point left, it’s a fair game!" Yuya said to Sora.

**Turn 6**

"My turn!" Yaiba said drawing his card, "If you can remember I have Faultroll in my Hand, and since I control 2 or more X-Sabers on the field, I can Special Summon it!" he said as Faultroll appeared once again. "Now its effect kicks in so now I once again Special Summon the Level 3 Fullhelmknight from the Graveyard!" Yaiba said as the Tuner once again appeared. "Both Faultroll and Fullhelmknight can only mean one thing." Yuri said, "A third Gottoms..." Yuzu said concerned.

"Hey somebody from this school can actually think, now I Tune the Level 3 Fullhelmknight to the Level 6 Faultroll!" Yaiba said with an insult added in, as Fullhelmknight and Faultroll did the same as last time.

"Time to tune you out of this duel once and for all, I Synchro Summon! Level 9! XX-Saber Gottoms!" he shouted as his third and final Gottoms appeared.

"Now I tribute Ragigura to activate Souza's effect!" he said as Ragigura faded into energy, while Gong was now confused by this, "You have no idea why I did that don't you Big Brows? But you're about to find out, Battle! X-Saber Souza attack Big Benkei!" he said pointing with a finger at the mention Superheavy monster.

"But Big Benkei has more defence while Souza's Attack isn't enough to defeat it, why would Yaiba attack with Souza?" Tatsuya questioned, "We might find out if you keep your voice down." Demil said hoping he would be quiet.

"There's a reason for tributing Ragigura, as it now allow Souza to use one of its other effects, the one I chose is that Souza can destroy any monster it battles at the start of the damage step!" Yaiba explained, shocking the children. "Oh no, if this goes through Gong will have nothing left to defend himself." Futoshi shouted out.

"Say goodbye to Big Benkei, and then say hello to you losing this Duel!" Yaiba said as Souza got closer to Big Benkei. "Gong activates Soulsheild Wall's other effect! By sending it to the Graveyard, Souza's attack is negated!" Gong said holding up Soulsheild Wall's card then sending it the Graveyard, with this stopping Souza's attack, "But now Big Benkei loses all his defence, having been equipped with Soulsheild Wall.”

Big Benkei’s DEF: **3100 – 0**

"Told you it was over, now Yaiba will attack with Gottoms, Meteor Rain's effect deals the difference in Gottoms' ATK to Big Benkei's DEF, and Gong will take 3100 Damage." Sora said closing his eyes.

"Now Gottoms number two attack Big Benkei!" Yaiba said, believing his victory was now all but guaranteed “Gong was hoping for this, everything went as Gong wanted it." Gongenzaka said confusing Yaiba.

"Gong now activates Superheavy Samurai Soulbreaker Armor's effect from the Graveyard!" he said, "The… the Graveyard!" Yaiba got out as a card was ejected from Gongenzaka's Graveyard slot, "Wait is that the card that I..." he added.

"Yep this here is the card you sent to the Graveyard, just where Gong need it to be, for Gong to uses its awesome power, when Gong banishes Soulbreaker Armor and there are no Spell or Traps in Gong's Graveyard, you take damage equal to the difference in Big Benkei's original defence and its new defence" Gong said and this was the biggest shock for everyone.

"What..." Yaiba got out slowly, "So Big Benkei's original defence is 3500." Tatsuya said, "And now it’s 0." Futoshi carried on, with Ayu carrying on now smiling at what Gong plan would mean, "That's 3500 damage, meaning..." she said with then the other two getting the idea of what would happen.

"That means Gong WINS!" the three shout out, while Sora was in shock, causing him to drop his lollipop which shattered, "But… how?" he said weakly.

Demil was stunned too but hid it better, “I’ll make a note to not to mess with him. That’s some comeback.”

JD scoffed _“I’ve seen you do much, much better.”_

"Actually there is something you need to know about Gong's deck. Spells and Traps actually do more bad then good for him." Yuri said while looking at Gong as a ghostly image of Soulbreaker Armor appeared. "That's why he only uses monsters in his Deck." he finished, with most of the students except for Yuzu and him in shock, same with the LDS Students, with Yaiba actually flinching at hearing that piece of info.

"A whole Deck built with only monsters." Masumi said pressed her hands against the glass annoyed at hearing about Gongenzaka's Deck, "That's… that's insane!" Hokuto got out.

"I see, so that's why you didn't pick up any Action Cards or used any Spells or Traps, there weren't any in there to begin with!" Yaiba said, while red energy was being drained from Big Benkei into Soulbreaker Armor.

"Yep, Gong doesn't need no Spells or Trap messing with Gong's Deck, Gong can win without them." Gongenzaka explained his reasoning for the lack of those kinds of cards, while Soulbreaker Armor stopped the flow of red energy and tossed four red balls at Yaiba's direction.

"Quick Gong do something!" Yuri shouted for his friend, "It's over Big Brows." Yaiba said to him as the shield shot out a beam of energy, and when it got close enough, "Gong activates the effect of Superheavy Samurai Soulbang Cannon for the Graveyard!" Gong said as another card was ejected from the Graveyard.

"Hey that's the other card I sent to the Graveyard!" Yaiba shouted, "Since Gong has no Spell or Traps in Gong's Graveyard, Gong can banish Soulbang Cannon to negate the damage." Gong said as Soulbang Cannon appeared and absorbed the energy.

“He survived... That’s something at least" Demil said sighing, but looked at Yuri who was in shock, "What's wrong?" he asked him, "Soulbang Cannon has another effect, one that end badly for both players." he said back.

"And that's not all, as now all the monsters on our fields are destroyed, and we both take damage equal to the total Level of monsters destroyed x 100!" Gongenzaka added as when the absorbing finished, Soulbang Cannon started to sizzle with energy, with this shocking everyone.

"But… but the total Level is 33, so that means..." Yaiba said, "3300 points of damage!" Gongenzaka finished for him as Soulbang then exploded, causing a huge flash, which covered everything in a white flash, with this destroying the monsters as then both Gong and Yaiba were thrown off their feet.

"My eye!" Demil cried out, having looked at the explosion, and was rubbing them to get rid of the white he was seeing “I don’t want to go blind!”, while this was happening everyone else was opening their eyes and then turning back to the duel, with them seeing both Duellist on the floor,

**Draw!**

"It's a draw?" Ayu said slowly as the Action Field de-activated, while Yuri rushed into the room to help Gong, "Gong... Gong… are you okay?" Yuri asked him helping him up, "I'm sorry Yuri, Gong's Steadfast Duelling wasn't enough to win this time." Gongenzaka apologised, "True, but you didn't lose either and he didn't win or lose either." Yuri said hoping to cheer his friend up.

"So Yuri won his Duel, Yuzu lost hers, and Gong tied for his." Shuzo said, "Chairwoman Akaba, the bet was that if you won more than 1 out of 3, you would take over our school, but each school has won once and tied for the last, so the school stays as it is!" Shuzo said to her over the mic.

This caused Himika to glare in his direction, "Nonsense, this last Duel was supposed to be a tiebreaker, we can't end it on a tie again." she said annoyed, "But we never agreed upon what happened if we tied… you just assumed you would win all of them didn't you?" Shuzo retorted back at her.

"Then how about one last Duel between the winners, that way we can actually get a clear decision over the school's fate!" she said looking at Masumi, "You don't get to decide that, it’s their choice." Shuzo said back at her.

"It’s fine Principal." Yuri said with determination in his eyes, "if we leave it as it is, they'll come back for a rematch and I won’t let that happen!" Yuri said to him, with this making Himika slightly scare but she hid it, "Looks like Yuri here is ready, and so are we..." she said looking to Masumi, but then.

"Wait!" a voice said, confusing everyone in the room, making them turn in the direction it came from, with this making the person of the voice to step out of hiding, which was Reiji, "I'll be your opponent Yuri Sakaki..." he said. Yuri turned to face him, but Demil rushed in front of him growling loudly, confusing mostly everyone, "Do. Do you two know one another?" Yuri asked just as confused as the rest of them, however he was able to remember what he had seen in Demil’s notebook.

_‘Time to see what that all meant.’_


End file.
